Breaking Zelda's Curse
by Seldavia
Summary: For centuries the name Zelda has been cursed with loneliness, suffering, and tragedy. But I will not surrender to the Bearer of Power. I will not deny my bond with the Bearer of Courage. My name will not decide my fate.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Twelve years ago, a young King and Queen brought their newborn daughter to the naming ceremony, a festive occasion involving the entire kingdom. Colorful banners lit up the gray halls of the castle and the streets of the town, days in advance. Puppeteers pandered to young and old alike, and innkeepers uncorked their finest wines. The kingdom's subjects, running the full spectrum from very rich to very poor, streamed into the ceremonial arena from the far reaches of the kingdom.

The nervous young couple, dressed in fine embroidered clothes and jewels, presented their baby swaddled in silk to seven sages. The Sages brought the baby to a small, intricately carved table in the arena, where they bowed low and prayed to the Goddesses, their dancing shadows cast by fires burning in great torches surrounding them. After several moments of tense silence, the Sages lifted their heads and announced that the Goddesses had revealed to them the name of the child.

"The baby's name," they spoke as one, "shall be Zelda!"

Pandemonium broke through the arena. The Queen blanched and fainted, and had to be caught by her handmaiden, for the King had gone green and seemed ready to collapse himself.

The sages bowed their heads before the royal couple and said, "We foresee great trials ahead for this child, as the cycle of the Triforce shall turn once more in her lifetime. It is for this reason that we invoke the name of the first Wise One, so that her wisdom may be passed on to her namesake."

These words gave no solace to the royal couple. For both knew that a Queen who gave birth to a Zelda would have her life cut short, and the King would lose his wits before the child reached adulthood. The entire kingdom cried tears of despair that day, for they all knew the history of that cursed name and its bearers, which for centuries had been doomed to suffering, loneliness, and tragedy.

That is the story I was told on my twelfth birthday.

* * *

On that day, my education switched from the usual things you would expect royalty to learn – palace etiquette, the history of one's country, the languages of the outlying provinces, a tiny bit of archery for exercise – and focused almost completely on the nature, use, and history of our national treasure, the Triforce.

From the beginning, the Sages attempted to drill into me the helplessness of my situation, the curse that could not be lifted. It was my duty, they said, to be able to use my own piece in order to direct the Bearer of Courage from the sidelines, once the Bearer of Power emerged from the shadows.

My parents, they said, had attempted to fight the curse to no effect. My mother had eaten only the most nutritious foods, had quarantined herself away from anyone with so much as a cold, and refused my father in the bedroom to annul completely the threat of death in childbirth. Yet she still fell ill when I reached the age of two, and died a few days afterward.

My father passed what free time he had with strategic games, teaching me to play chess. He insisted on speaking with the provinces' delegates in their native tongues. He dabbled in architecture and trigonometry. Yet when I reached the age of eleven, I noticed that my wins at chess did not come because of my skill, but out of the slow degeneration of his mind.

The Sages told me that each Zelda before me had tried to prevent the inevitable, with always the same result. The first Wise One had managed to escape the castle when the Evil King made his move, and had roamed free for seven years, but her fate caught up with her when she revealed her true self to the Bearer of Courage. Another ancestor had sailed upon the seas in an attempt to put as much distance between her and the Bearer of Power, but she ended up stumbling upon him anyway. Yet another had stayed in the castle after the siege, when the attacker showed with a different face; she later learned that the Bearer of Power had manipulated this other man from outside.

Our kingdom had seen many tragedies, but the Triforce quandary was restricted to those with the cursed name. Each member of the Royal Family's main line bore the mark on the back of their hand, but it only awakened and shone gold upon the cursed ones. The day it first revealed itself would be the start of all my troubles.

Along with all the lessons, the Sages peppered me with questions to determine if my mark would soon awaken. They dissected every dream I had, searching for divine visions. They would not allow me to wear gloves, even in the dead of winter. They quizzed me every time I met someone new, asking if I could sense any hint of ill intent.

Finally, when I turned sixteen – my father now on par with the royal jester and my mother's grave beginning to grow mold – I felt my eye suddenly drawn to Jenner, a close friend of my father's. I neither liked nor disliked Jenner – he was not a bad man, though he and I did not have much in common. There was some talk of marriage, even though he was ten years my senior, I guess because my father knew he was losing his mind and wanted to make sure the royal line continued. I had the right to choose my own husband, but I had not expressed any preferences so far.

But when I turned sixteen, something within Jenner changed dramatically. I remembered the story of my ancestor who had dealt with the Bearer of Power acting in the guise of another person, so I watched him. I did not tell the Sages. My Triforce mark had not changed, and no one else seemed to suspect him.

I did not keep my silence because I doubted my senses. Standing by my mother's grave, I could hear the voices of the other Zeldas crying out within my soul. They begged me to break the curse, so that all of them – still living within me – could finally find peace. To do this, I had to follow my own heart and mind. How could I refuse such a request? My own heart, wrapped in the shreds of the broken souls before me, cried out for closure.

I will not surrender to the Bearer of Power. I will not deny my bon d with the Bearer of Courage. My name will not decide my fate.


	2. A New Strategy

In chess, the player that controls the board from the beginning is often the one who wins the game. Each piece must be arranged to present the maximum strategic value. If one knows the enemy's mind, which pieces he favors and which methods of conquest he has used in the past, then winning is only a matter of careful watching and counter-attacks. So my father taught me.

The day after my twelfth birthday, my education in the Triforce began. The sages began with protective spells, believing the ability to defend myself and others to be the key to my safety.

"Concentrate, Your Highness, on the image of the life-giving water that flows throughout Hyrule like the lifeblood of the Goddesses. The power is liquid, can be manipulated into almost any shape, can find its way in tight corners where the others cannot reach. With the passage of time water carves earth and sustains wood."

We were practicing in the courtyard, a simple spell to place a barrier around an egg. It did not take long for me to coalesce thought into magic, as if I had done it countless times before. As I envisioned the barrier around the egg, they said, "Water's properties can be manipulated as well as its shape. It can be heated or cooled, turned into steam or ice. You want to create a very light barrier around the egg, like a protective bubble. If your grip on the spell is too strong, it will crystallize and pierce the egg. If it is too weak, the barrier will not hold. Now, try it."

I narrowed my eyes and tried to imagine the bubble. The egg imploded and splattered bits of yolk all over our faces.

They all looked at each other. "Her grasp is a little too strong," one said to the others.

"Heavy-handed, this one," said another, shaking his head. "Her predecessors had such a gentle touch."

I never bothered to tell them apart, because they never bothered to see me as a person. As far as they were concerned, I was merely a new actress playing an old role, and as the years went by they would continually compare me to the previous Zeldas. As far as I was concerned, they were nameless, faceless ghosts. The original Sages, I had learned, were unique individuals with histories, emotions, tragedies. But only their knowledge had been passed on. You cannot copy an individual.

I retrieved another egg from the basket as they clucked their disapproval. That one imploded too. I had to calm myself a little, for inside I roared with laughter at the sight of the Sages standing around me literally with egg on their faces. But the joke soon got old, and before I was halfway through the basket I had mastered the simple spell.

The beautiful thing about spells – as far as the power of the Hylian Goddesses are concerned, anyway – is that once you master the basics, you can pretty well build up to higher levels on your own. Every moment of waking life I searched for new ways to secure my pieces on the chessboard. I strengthened castle walls that had small but fatal cracks, ones that only a trained architect (or conqueror) would notice. I added extra protection to the doors that led to critical places. I learned how to wear it like armor, even how to transfer this armor to another person.

Communication over long distances is another skill the Sages taught. I did not like this one, as it required a certain amount of trust in one's surroundings and created a feeling of weightless helplessness. They shook their heads and clucked their tongues, commenting about how this one had always come naturally to my predecessors, whereas I took several months just to master the first stage. Perhaps the previous Zeldas could concentrate while the Bearer of Power breathed down their necks, but I for one would have just moved out of the way.

As a Princess, I had a strange combination of freedom and imprisonment. On one hand, my destiny had been planned for me and I had to do what the Sages and the ancient legends stated. On the other hand, I had a great deal of room to maneuver, split hairs, and talk my way in or out of things. Since my Triforce lessons had taken priority over everything else, my father left it to me to choose what other subjects I liked in my spare time. I knew immediately how I would spend every second.

After just a few magic lessons, I walked straight to Mawldin, the captain of the guard. In his spare time, Mawldin poured over the scraps of parchment outlining secret tactics and sword moves, all that was left of the legendary Shekiah.

I found him pouring over another moldy parchment, an odd-looking knife in his hand, attempting to throw it at a target in the middle of his room and changing his grip each time. He saw me and bowed. "What can I do for you today, Your Highness?"

"Father told me I could choose my lessons," I told him. "I wish to learn swordsmanship."

He stared at me as if I was asking for flying lessons. "Are you sure? I can educate you in some of the Shekiah tactics that your predecessor…"

"Swordsmanship, Sir Mawldin," I said sharply. I do not want to give the impression that I liked to order people about. But in tense times, one often must get straight to the point.

"Of…of course, Your Highness. Er…" He studied me for a long moment, then picked up a small, thin, short sword and handed me the hilt. "I can't teach you the same things I do with the guards, but I've come up with an experimental style that might suit you better. It requires a lot of footwork, and intimate knowledge of a human body's weak spots. But it doesn't require carrying a shield or heavy sword, and allows the fighter to pierce vulnerable areas not normally reachable."

I gripped the sword, enjoying its heavy weight in my hand. "I trust in your judgment, Sir Mawldin."

He moved the fingers on my hand, showing me the correct grip. "This type of sword has three sections," he explained. "The tip is used to thrust at your enemy. The middle is used for slicing. The part near the hilt is used for blocking. We'll practice blocking first." He picked up a wooden sword and first demonstrated the block he wanted me to try, high in front of my face.

I copied him, and he raised the wooden sword. "This block is best for when your enemy attacks from above." He brought his hand down lightly and pressed his sword against mine.

How long ago those lessons seem now! I caught onto the art of combat very quickly, much to his surprise. In the late evening I would practice whatever new moves he had taught me, exhilarating in the way I could perform a kind of deadly dance, the sword flashing in the moonlight.

* * *

I started a number of projects in those first few months. The secret escape route out of the palace was one of the first. I would not have my father killed in front of me, the fate of all the others before me. That was so easy I didn't understand why it had not been attempted before.

The second project required more delicate handling. Our family had never been on good terms with the Gerudo, even before the curse. Their numbers had increased in recent years, and they had built up a great deal of strength. Of course, the birth of a Zelda had strained relations somewhat, reopening old wounds among the Hylians, and therefore my father began treating their ambassadors with suspicion. But I knew that the last thing we needed was for them to turn their backs to us, if the Bearer of Power did return.

Lucky for me, the Gerudo ambassador had an assistant who seemed more open-minded than most, and I befriended her early on. I approached her and asked her to meet with me in a private room. Once inside, I presented to her a very ancient scroll, one that had been hidden for centuries in the far corners of our vaults.

She opened it with some puzzlement, unsure why I would give her a dusty old scroll. The Gerudo preferred to hand down their history through oral tradition, and very few could both speak and read Hylian. "What is it?" she asked.

"It is an account of the Gerudo Blood Curse, as taken down by our scribes during the First Schism."

She stared open-mouthed, first at me, then at the scroll. The Blood Curse, of course, is one much more ancient than my own. It is a very long and very old story, but the important thing to know is that it is the source of their unique demographic – why a male could only be born once every hundred years.

"With this information, you can find a way to break the curse, and therefore no longer need to take as leader the sole male of the group," I explained. "If you must have a patriarchal leadership, then at least with this information you can find the means to choose among many, rather than simply accepting what the Goddesses give you."

She eyed me suspiciously. "Why are you giving me such a treasure?"

I frowned as if it were obvious. "This is not an altruistic gesture. You are familiar, I am sure, with my own curse. I seek to lessen the Bearer of Power's influence. In return for this priceless treasure, I want you to refuse him if he requests your help."

She carefully rolled up the scroll. "I cannot guarantee this, for I do not speak for my people. But I can tell you that we will view this as a much greater benefit than anything _he_ has given us."

* * *

One day, four months after my sixteenth birthday, I sat in my bedroom at my desk reading over a scroll outlining the properties of the Master Sword. A double-edged weapon indeed, it billed itself as the blade of evil's bane, but every Bearer of Courage who found it ended up breaking the little hold the previous fighters had placed on the Bearer of Power. I had dedicated the next few months to unraveling this mystery.

Unfortunately, I had run out of time.

I felt a peculiar burning sensation on the back of my hand, and as I turned it over the light from the mark of the Triforce nearly blinded me. It softened to a dull glow, and after a moment of shock and disappointment I got to my feet, taking my sheathed sword in one hand and wrapping the other in a scarf so the mark could not be seen.

I had been told over and over to alert the Sages when this happened. But when my predecessors did this, they always met with the same misfortune. I did not need the Sages to tell me what was about to happen. It was time to put my strategy to the test.

I entered the throne room, where my father sat listening to the Goron representative speak about problems in the mines. My father had been given an endless list of strange problems throughout the country, as good an indication as any that the curse was about to repeat itself. All bowed as I entered, looking a little quizzically at the sword in my hand as I stood at my father's side.

I smiled slightly as Jenner approached the dais and bowed. He spoke for a good twenty minutes about some trivial thing, I think it was his intent to bore my father and dull the senses of the court as much as possible. But I watched him every moment, waiting for him to make his move.

Mid-sentence, Jenner's hand flicked to his side, and as quick as thinking threw something at my father. A horrified gasp rose from the court as I blocked the knife with my sword, the ring of metal echoing throughout the room. I snatched up the knife and hurled it back at its owner, who shrieked in pain as it pierced his shoulder.

"Get the King to safety!" I ordered the royal guards, who hurriedly complied. Panic broke out in the throne room, the nobles and emissaries scrambling for the exits. Jenner's form shivered and blurred before me, as the spell he had cast to conceal his true self faltered. He morphed from a thin, blonde Hylian to the stocky stature and red hair of a Gerudo man. I flicked my sword hand into an attack position, letting the scarf drop so the mark could be seen.

"Greetings, Jenner…or should I say, Ganondorf?"


	3. Opening Moves

Jenner's face melted like wax, revealing the features of the Evil One so often described to me that I recognized him without ever actually seeing him before. He gave me a lopsided grin, then gripped the hilt of his own sword. "This is an unusual development, Princess…could it be you've grown a spine?"

In answer, I leaped deftly forward from the dais and swept my arm in an arc, slashing his face, then took several steps back and lifted my sword in a defensive position.

He howled in pain and surprise and clamped his hand over the wound. It was not much of a cut, but my purpose had been fulfilled…I had demonstrated I was a force to be reckoned with. Ripping his own sword from its sheath, he charged and attacked.

I leaped to the side, catching his weapon with mine near the hilt, using his own thrust against him as I pushed it to the side. He stumbled forward and I drove the blade into his shoulder. With a roar he flung his arm out, catching me in the stomach and throwing me on my back. I rolled over just in time to hear his sword ring on the stone floor. I jumped up and took several steps back, my sword held protectively in front of me.

Ganondorf lowered his weapon slightly. "You know, Princess," he said conversationally, "in the past I've kept you alive in order to draw the Bearer of Courage to me, or vice versa. Unfortunately, it looks like I'll have to go searching for him myself, as you've made yourself too unpredictable to keep alive." He rushed me and I jumped out of the way just in time.

"I will not leave this life until I find the answer to my curse," I declared boldly.

"Eh? Curse? What are you talking about?" he demanded.

With a scowl, I snarled at him, "The curse that befalls all given the name Zelda. The one that summons you, that killed my mother, that reduced my father to a doddering fool. The curse that darkens all of Hyrule."

He stared at me for a moment, then let loose with mocking laughter. "The sages, what did they tell you?"

I blinked. "They never mentioned the curse."

"Hah!" With a grin wide enough to split his face, he declared, "Your name isn't cursed. The sages give that name to a female member of the Royal Family when they perceive that the cycle is about to begin again. It is meant as a warning of things to come."

"What cycle?" I felt a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. The sages hadn't mentioned any of this.

"Fool. The Triforce is a living entity. It continually seeks to become whole again, after I broke it so many years ago. But only _my_ piece grants its bearer immortality. So while _I_ remember everything, the reincarnations of the other two Bearers are forced to re-learn everything." Ganondorf smirked at me. "Don't you see? This isn't some arbitrary blight handed down by the Goddesses for their personal enjoyment. _I_ disguised myself as Jenner. _I_ poisoned your mother. _I_ attempted the same with your father, but only succeeded in damaging his mind. I do this _every_ time, to get at _you_ and the other Bearer. Because when the Triforce is finally reunited, _I_ will be the one to claim it!"

I stood still, rocked to the core, but recovered before he could make his move. "So then _you_ are my curse. It matters not. Whether you be immortal or not, I will strike you down!" I launched myself forward.

He blocked my slice and threw me backward. "Did you put so much misguided faith in yourself that you thought you could end the cycle on your own? You cannot defeat me with that sword. You cannot reunite the Triforce without the third Bearer."

I didn't intent to try, of course. My next thought was to get out of there as quickly as possible, but he knew there was only one exit (save for jumping out a window and breaking every bone in my body). I dodged from side to side, trying to get past his massive bulk. He swung his sword in wide arcs every time I attempted to pass by him, forcing me further away.

I decided to take a chance and leaped at him, sword point forward as if to stab him in the heart. At the last moment I dodged and rolled, right under his thrust, and jumped to my feet.

Before I could take a single step, I felt his foot catch my ankle and I fell. He struck the back of my head with the flat of his sword and my face smashed against the floor. As I raised my head, blood flowing from my nose, I felt his boot slam into my side. Scrambling to my feet and clutching my ribs, I raised my sword and gasped for breath.

He stood, relaxed, his sword down. "We can do this one of two ways. Either you stay here and attempt to guide the third bearer as you always have, or I can kill you now, take your piece, and pursue the third while he is helpless. Your choice."

"Some choice." I straightened, steadying myself with the point of my sword on the ground. Spitting blood, I snapped, "Idiot. Do you really think I'm such a fool that I would face you with a sword alone?" Quickly I snapped my wrist, the sword held horizontally, and made a few passes in the air as I uttered a deliberately simple spell: "Everlasting light, banish the darkness!"

With that, I flipped the sword in my hand so I held it blade downward, and slammed the point into the floor. Bright blue lines fine as spider's silk radiated outward in a lightning-bolt pattern. I shut my eyes.

"What the-" Ganondorf muttered before he shrieked in pain, the entire room exploding in blinding light. In my mind's eye I could see the blue lines snaking throughout the entire castle, tripping all the glyphs I had set up over the past four years, lighting rooms with holy flame. The monsters that had already begun to swarm over the castle evaporated, doors leading to priceless treasures swung shut, and the entire fortress lit up for a split second like a flash of tinder in a cave.

I opened my eyes to see him clawing at his own. I raced past him and fled through the door, clutching my side. Suddenly my body seized up in blinding pain and sparks danced before my eyes. I fell to the ground and turned my head to see Ganondorf stumbling after me, his eyes still squeezed shut.

"I don't need to see you to find you!" He announced, throwing another ball of dark energy toward me. "The resonance of the Triforce is so strong, you may as well be holding a torch in a dungeon!"

I dodged and rolled, pulling a set of needles from the sleeve of my dress. Mawldin had given them to me, along with one of the few lost Shekiah arts we still possessed. With a flick of my wrist, I sent the needles whistling through the air, to two critical points; his Triforce hand, and the back of his neck. His angry yowl came not from the pain, which hurt little more than a bee sting, but the fact that I had interrupted his ability to see through the sacred relic.

I knew I had only a few minutes; he would regain his abilities minutes after pulling out the needles. I could not run through more than a few rooms; every breath lanced through my chest, and the blood running down the back of my throat made me choke and cough. I hid in a corner behind a large plant, trying to gather my strength.

I had made several twists and turns, yet I could hear the dark warlord's footsteps getting closer, louder. _He couldn't have regained his abilities so quickly…and even if he can see now, he couldn't have followed where I went…_

I peered out carefully from my hiding place, and realized with horror that I had left a blood trail that he no doubt was following. I tore a piece of fabric from my clothing and wrapped it carefully around my broken nose, then stole as quietly as I could down a flight of stairs into one of the main chambers.

Just a few steps from the bottom, I heard a grunt above me and dodged just in time to avoid another ball of energy. Ganondorf stumbled down the stairway, shielding his barely-open eyes from the normal light. I was running out of options. I turned one of the last over in my mind, and headed toward an open window.

"You can't run fast enough to escape me!" he called out. "You're too badly injured. I'm not going to give you a choice this time!"

I scrambled up onto the windowsill, and turned to see his suspicious stare. "What are you doing?" he demanded. "Going to finish the job yourself, just to deprive me of the privilege?"

I suppose it's customary to deliver some kind of bon mot, about how I would break my curse anyway and so on, but why would I want to give him a clue about what I planned to do? I simply jumped backwards out of the window.

I saw his eyes bulge, then his surprised face when I cast the shield spell as I fell. It shattered when I hit the ground, but I was unharmed. He threw another energy ball at me, but I dodged it and pulled a tiny box from my pocket. Inside was a small vial of healing potion, wrapped in cotton. It held just enough to heal the worst wounds and allow me to run again. For good measure I wrapped an invisibility spell around me as I fled, leaving him and his angry shouts behind.

* * *

I ran well into the night, until the mark on my hand dulled and then glowed no more. By this time I had gone deep into the forest, and had no one but the stars to guide me to my next destination. I sat down on a fallen log and considered my next move.

The reason why the previous Zeldas had always refused much contact with the Bearer of Courage had been demonstrated to me. He could sense the resonance of the Triforce far stronger than I could; and if both Bearers were in the same place, it was that much easier for him to track them down. Still, I had no intention of abandoning my strategy. The third bearer always had a guide of one kind or another, and I felt I had practiced sufficiently enough to hide my presence even from Ganondorf. If I hid my piece well enough, and had a convincing enough disguise, I could serve as the Bearer's guide.

Of course, I had no idea where he could be at this time, but I had planned for that also. My predecessor had disguised herself as "Sheik"; surely I could attempt something similar. Only instead of disguising myself from everyone, I had woven into the spell the ability for the Bearer of Courage to see through the camouflage. While everyone else would see a warrior woman from one of the outlying provinces, he would see Princess Zelda. The only drawback I could anticipate was keeping him from pointing and shouting. If I were lucky I would find him alone.

I sat and concentrated, trusting in the forest to keep me safe. My disguise was no so different from my real self, though I eliminated the Hylian ears, as well as darkened and shortened my hair. In place of my royal clothes I gave myself short boots, dark pants, a thin long-sleeved shirt, and a vest. Once I had created it, very little effort was needed to maintain the disguise; more energy would go into hiding my Triforce's presence from Ganondorf's watchful gaze.

Thus prepared, I set off on foot to the nearest village, hoping that the Bearer had witnessed the blinding flash at the castle and would be searching for a sign.


	4. A Miscalculation

It was around that time that I discovered the weak point in my plan.

I had trained hard, pushed myself far on those moonlit nights as I watched my sword flash in the dark. But Mawldin could only give me a small taste of battle. Though a few bumps and bruises were necessary in the training I received, he was bound by law to protect the body of the Princess. Therefore, I had never suffered any real wounds before my fight with Ganondorf. Though I had healed the most severe injuries with that vial of potion, my body had still taken a beating.

The pain was unbearable.

Up until this time, the rush of adrenaline and sheer force of will had kept the pain at bay. Now it rushed over me like a torrent, invading every part of my body and slowly torturing me with slicing, stabbing, throbbing sensations. I could hardly see, and stumbled along in the forest like a bear just out of hibernation.

With all the thrashing around, it wasn't long until something took notice. A bear or a wolf I could handle; both of these would avoid me unless they were wounded or guarded young. A wolfos, on the other hand – a wolflike demon of bones and claws wrapped in fur – would make a beeline for anything it sensed as human. One was dangerous enough…and they usually traveled in packs.

I stiffened as the wind carried the first far-off howls, similar to those of living wolves but with a tinny, grating echo. I hurried along the path, sword in hand, but the stabbing pains in my chest prevented me from going very fast. Soon I could hear growls behind me, so I whirled round and raised my sword.

The first one, a scout, launched itself at me with teeth bared. I swept my sword left, right, down in a quick one-two-three movement. It fell to the ground and its bones shattered on impact. For a brief moment, the rest of the back hung back, but the expenditure of energy was too much for me. I fell to my knees, leaning on my sword, and their undead eyes glittered as they formed a ring around me. I struggled to my feet and held my sword out horizontally, slightly to my side, turning slowly as they tightened the ring. I gripped my sword harder, deciding to wait until the last moment to strike.

Learning from the death of their comrade, they didn't waste time sending in one or two. The whole pack of seven crept closer, intending to attack as one. I turned slowly in a circle like a cornered buffalo, not wanting to keep my back to any of them for more than a second, watching their eyes for a sign.

All at once they leaped forward and I spun in a circle, striking each one across the face with my sword. They fell back, but didn't seem fazed; if anything, they were angrier than before. I began to panic. I was not only fighting for my own life, but also for the future of Hyrule. My father's safety and the impressive light works back at the castle meant nothing if I were killed; Ganondorf would recover my piece from what was left and go after the Third. I had not even managed to get a day's walk from the castle.

Terrible thoughts ran through my head. _How am I going to get out of this? Was all my careful planning really just a foolish dream?_

Three of the creatures threw themselves upon me. I managed to beat back two but the third pushed me down and pressed its paws into my chest, snarling in my face. Another bit hard on my sword hand and one more sank its sharp teeth into my leg. I struggled weakly but could not move. _Goddesses, what have I done…?_

"Hoi! Get away, you mangy curs!" Off to my left I heard a deep bellow, then a yelp as a torch connected with the ribs of one of the beasts. It rolled to extinguish the fire, but its dry desiccated skin only served as tinder. It ran about yelping and setting two more alight, as an older man wielding a rusty sword stepped into the fray. "That's right! Damned monsters!" He felled the last one with his sword, then offered me his hand. "You all right? If you're a foreign warrior headed for the castle, you're going the wrong way."

I stood with some difficulty and looked him over. He was not elderly, but his hair had become more white than black. His strong stature – even at this age – and the easy way he held his sword told me he had been a warrior once, possibly even a guard at the castle. "I just came from the castle. I was asked to assist with a possible upcoming crisis-"

His brown eyes bored into me, searching. "And?"

My gaze fell and my voice cracked as I told him what I did not even want to admit to myself. "I'm sorry. Hyrule Castle has fallen."

I heard a swift intake of breath, then he asked, "What about the King? And the Princess?"

"They live, fortunately. They were able to escape in time."

I looked up to see him shaking his head. He held up the rusty sword. "I used to be part of the Guard, years ago. They wanted me to stay on when I neared retirement, but when I heard a Zelda had been born…" He shivered. "Tell me…the force that has overtaken the castle, is it the same one that…."

"It is."

He sighed. "What terrible luck. I'd hoped I'd never see this day. The Dark King on the throne once again!" Nodding toward me, he said, "You're not looking too good. There's a small village just up ahead, with an inn and a fairly good healer. From what I hear, the Evil King's influence isn't as strongly felt in the outlying villages, so I'm going to move on back until this blows over." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder, and I saw an old mare with a bundle of firewood on her back. "Need a lift? You probably shouldn't be walking in your condition. I have a few bandages, but not enough to patch you up real good." A flash of concern crossed his face. "Was it a hard battle?"

"Yes," I said slowly as he helped me onto the horse, talking more to myself than to him. "I fought against Ganondorf himself."

He whistled. "You're lucky you're alive."

_You have no idea._

* * *

As far as it was, the village was still too close to the castle for me to stay very long, but at this point I didn't have much choice. With any more travel, my wounds would become infected, and that would kill me even if Ganondorf's servants didn't.

After giving the ex-soldier my profuse thanks, I stopped at the healer's house. The village healers were not as talented as the masters in the castle, but I left for the inn sufficiently patched up to travel again the next day. Several people accosted me as I approached the innkeeper and even followed me to my room; all of them wanted to know about the castle siege. I told them exactly what I told the ex-soldier, then waved them off. I collapsed on the bed and fell asleep.

The next day dawned in a slight haze, no doubt tainted with ash from the sack of the castle. I rose with the sun and after a light breakfast, and searched for a horse in vain. Every animal capable of carrying a person on its back had already been taken out of the village. I bought a little dried meat and bread, then set off on foot.

I had never really been able to venture far out of the castle, and when I did, it usually was in some kind of procession. My mind staggered at the beauty of my own country, a place I had never really seen. In the forested outer provinces, the leaves of the trees shuffled slowly in the breeze, shielding those who walked under them from the tragedy behind me and offering peace. The light of the morning sun streamed down between the branches, and every once in a while a bird I'd never heard before would boldly stake claim to its little territory, not knowing or caring that its entire world might soon be covered in darkness. A snake sunning itself on the road slowly slithered away, as if it couldn't be bothered going too far, knowing I was probably the only threat to it for miles.

Of course, I could not leave the darkness behind; it hung over me like the stench of burning and death. I felt as if my presence were polluting this corner of my country I was not able to protect. Such thoughts slowed my progress, and I forced myself to go on by remembering that the Bearer of Courage was out there somewhere, waiting for me to guide him.

As the noon sun rose into the sky, I began to get thirsty. When I came across a small, thin stream, I dipped my hands into the water to drink. The cold water felt good. I kneeled there for a little while, resting, watching the tiny fish flicker in the light and lazily keeping their place in the current.

Suddenly the place between my shoulder blades prickled; I jumped upward and to the side just in time to hear an arrow whiz past my ear. I whirled round, sword drawn, to see a big stumpy creature, its face resembling a bulldog's, readying another arrow. "There's another one over here!" it called in the clipped, halting speech of creatures not accustomed to speaking with a human tongue.

With two swipes of my sword I severed his bow and ran him through. Another one popped out of the brush upon hearing the commotion. I dodged his arrow and dispatched him in like kind. Wiping my blade upon the grass, I could hear shouts and the ring of steel. Quickly I followed the sounds through a winding pathway in the woods, and emerged in a small glade.

There I saw an entire pack of the creatures, some armed with bows and some with thick-bladed swords; in two separate rings they encircled a young man close to me in age, dressed in green and wielding a sword not of royal make. My heart nearly stopped as one of the creatures brought its blade crashing down on the boy's crude wooden shield, sending him to his knees.

I jumped into the outer ring with a shout, and managed to dodge all but one arrow to the shoulder. Crashing through the inner ring of blades, I set my back against the boy's. His jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "What the…what are you doing here, with a sword, in that dress?"

I grasped his wrist; our two Triforce pieces responded, and I could see him staring wide-eyed at the symbols on both our hands. "You…you have a mark like mine!"

"I need you to focus on the task at hand," I told him through gritted teeth, as the monsters had gotten over their surprise and readied their next attack." Fight now, explanations later."

If nothing else, he was adaptable. He immediately turned with his back to mine and faced the oncoming threat. "I have a bow and arrow," he said quickly. "I'll take out the archers, you handle the ones with swords."

I nodded my assent and swiped at the nearest monster. We crossed blades, I made a false pass, and ran him through, though not before he nicked my shoulder. The next one gave me more trouble; I took two cuts on my leg and one on the ear before I felled him. More just kept coming.

I heard the ring of steel as he drew his sword. "I got all the archers! Let me take on the rest!" He plunged into the horde of monsters, and even as I battled the handful of stragglers, I could see an inborn skill in the way he handled his sword and charged his enemies.

The stragglers would not have been much of a challenge had I been in good health; but some of my previous wounds reopened, and with the new ones I became weak from loss of blood. As I battled the last one, I staggered several times and could not seem to get a decent hit. Suddenly the creature knocked the sword out of my hand and I fell hard on my side. The bulldog-headed goblin raised its sword with a gleam of triumph in its yellow eyes.

The boy slammed into it shoulder-first, then ran his sword through. Panting, he held out his hand to help me up. "Are you all right? My name is Link. I can bring you to a village nearby where we can get some healing potion. Where are you from?"

With his help I rose to my feet, balancing myself with the tip of my sword. "I am Princess Zelda," I told him as his eyes widened. "I have come to guide you on your quest."


	5. Regrouping

The Bearer of Courage stared at me with such a befuddled expression I began to doubt his intelligence; then I realized what he was seeing. "I'm not really wearing this dress," I said to him, and removed the enchantment from his eyes. "I wasn't sure what the Bearer of Courage looked like, and so changed my appearance to hide from Ganondorf's followers. Only you saw the traditional image of the Hylian Princess. In fact, it would be best if you didn't call me Zelda. Call me Kera from now on."

Apparently my explanation didn't help much. "Bearer of what? And who's Ganondorf?"

I nearly fell over, having forgotten how much my predecessors needed to tell him. "I'll explain later. I've been fighting all day, and I need to rest. Is there a village nearby?"

He nodded. "I'm sorry, I used up all my healing potion, or else I'd offer you some. Need help?"

I stood and sheathed my sword. "I'm all right. Please, bring me to the nearest village as quickly as possible."

"Okay." He started off, turning back to make sure I followed him. Every few yards he turned back to me, and I could tell his mind was burning with questions, yet he did as I requested and said nothing.

I stumbled and fell, and immediately heard him speak just beside me. "Are you _sure_ you're all right?" He glanced, concerned, at the spreading dark stains on my clothing. "Here." He brought my arms around his neck and lifted me onto his back.

"You don't have to _carry_ me," I muttered, feeling ridiculous on piggy-back.

"It's okay. We're almost there. It's no trouble at all," he assured me, though I could hear him puffing as he jogged down the path.

Secretly I felt relieved that I did not have to walk. Even now my head spun, and I felt strangely heavy and light-headed. Everything around me seemed too bright. "Almost there," he called back encouragingly, shifting my weight as he felt my arms loosen.

I tried to stay conscious, but felt myself falling, catching myself just before I blacked out. I struggled to keep the cloaking spell around me running, both my appearance and – more importantly – the resonance of my Triforce piece. If I was sighted, Ganondorf would find both of us, and it would all end as suddenly as it started.

Despite Link's sharp jogging motion and his continual yells of support, I felt myself drifting off. Semi-conscious, my eyes half-shut, I began seeing strange shapes shift and warp about me. I felt myself falling once more, and could not snap back. After the initial shock, I felt warm, peaceful, without pain.

* * *

Someone was calling me. A sweet, comforting voice, hauntingly familiar. _Mother…?_

I opened my eyes to find myself in the palace garden, hidden in a clump of flowers. I could see my mother's head over the tops of the hedges, calling out for me in a happy, singsong voice. "Where, oh where has my little one gone?"

I smiled, and tried to get to my feet. Something pulled me back. I looked down at my hand and saw the mark of the Triforce glowing an angry red. Puzzled, I glanced back up at my mother's head. Suddenly her gaze reminded me of a sharp beacon, something I should avoid. I ducked down behind the flowers as she passed by. "Zelda, where are you?"

Crouching there in the grass, I saw not my mother's shoes but a pair of large, black boots.

* * *

I snapped awake, startling Link. "Good, you're still alive!" he shouted back. "I was starting to wonder! Look, there's my village just ahead."

_Thank the Goddesses._ A large, rotund man with a farmer's garb rushed to the village gates. "Oy, Link! Who's that you've got with you? She looks hurt…and you don't look so good yourself!"

"We ran into a pack of goblins," he explained, gently sliding me off his shoulders. "This is Z…Kera. She's a foreign warrior that came here from Hyrule Castle."

The man, much larger than Link, picked me up and carried me firefighter-style over his shoulder. I could hear the concern in his voice. "I heard the Castle was attacked. Hope it was nothing too serious."

I heard the rattle of a doorknob, the squeak of a door opening, and the sound of two pairs of boots on floorboards. "Hey, Malina! We've got an injured warrior here!"

"Goodness, she's ripped up bad. I wonder what happened," said a female voice, presumably the man's wife. "We're out of healing potion, but I have enough herbal medicine to put her right after a few days."

I felt the cool softness of a simple bed, and someone patted my hand. "It's okay, Kera," I heard Link say, "You're safe here. Malina will fix you up real good."

Finally in a safe place, I let unconsciousness take me.

* * *

When I awoke, I felt refreshed but disoriented. I lay in a small bed with a scratchy wool blanket, a thatch roof above me. Sitting up, I called out, "Hello?"

I heard footsteps, and a plump woman with a face like bread dough opened the door with a smile. "Hello, Miss. It looks like you're finally awake! Link will be back soon, he went out to find some supplies for his journey."

More footsteps, running very fast this time. The man who I'd seen at the village gate burst through, pushing his wife to the side. "You're awake! What's gone on at the castle?"

Malina shoved him back. "Miro, that's no way to act around an injured guest. Stop peppering her with questions."

He dodged her hands and stepped up to the side of the bed. "Is it true? Has Hyrule Castle fallen?"

My heart sank as the memories flooded back. Looking down, I said, "Yes, I'm sorry to tell you it has. But the King and Princess managed to escape."

I looked up to see both of them staring at me, their faces pale as ghosts. "That's the worst news I've heard in a long time," said Miro.

Malina shook her head, left, and immediately returned with a steaming bowl of soup in her hands. "You must be starving. You've been asleep for two days!"

Miro rolled his eyes. "That's your answer to everything, Malina. If there's a problem, shove food at it."

She sniffed. "I can't imagine _you_ going without food for two days. Here, Miss. It's hot, but not so hot that it'll burn."

I accepted the simple soup, the warm liquid flowing through me as I ate. "It's good."

She beamed, then stuck out her tongue at her husband, who merely rolled his eyes. "Eat up, and I'll let Link know you're awake when he comes back."

Link returned three hours later. I had been dozing, enjoying my rare respite, but sat up when he knocked on the door. "Can I come in?"

"Of course." He opened the door and grinned at me, then stepped over and sat on the side of the bed. This time I was able to take a good look at him. He had a slightly weather-beaten face, as if he spent a lot of time outdoors. A shock of blonde hair fell down either side, and he had startlingly blue eyes, within which rested a kind of timeless innocence. Yet I could sense the Hero's soul within him. He shifted his shoulder, his sword and shield resting naturally against it.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Much better," I replied.

There was a long, awkward silence, which he broke with, "Could you please explain this to me?" He pointed to the mark on his hand.

I glanced at the door and the window, but didn't sense anyone nearby. "How much do you know?" I asked in a low voice.

"Not a lot," he answered, copying my soft tone. "Just that it's the seal of the Hylian Royal Family, and is connected somehow to the power of the Goddesses."

I sighed, then launched into an explanation of the Triforce, Ganondorf, and the recurring cycle of my curse. It took more than an hour, and he continually interrupted to ask questions. But that I didn't mind. It meant he was thinking and paying attention.

"This Master Sword…it's needed to defeat Ganondorf, but taking it from its plinth breaks a seal on his power?" Link asked.

I nodded. "Doesn't make it very useful, does it?"

He shook his head. "I can see why you're trying to do things differently this time. All the other times, our predecessors have only managed to freeze Ganondorf for a period of time, until he manages to break free again." Looking at the mark on his hand, he added, "I have to admit I'm not really sure what the Triforce of Courage _does_. I mean, I'm not going to state that I'm the bravest person in the world, but I don't think I'm a coward either, so I don't understand how it works."

I considered for a moment. "I have to admit I'm not really sure how your piece works either. The Sages claimed that it helped you grow stronger – in terms of physical strength as well as stamina and experience – as you overcame each new obstacle. This, combined with the sacred items you gathered on your journey, would enable you to fight on equal ground with Ganondorf."

"And this time I have Wisdom on my side!" he exclaimed happily. "Now I don't have to worry about stumbling around in the dark, wasting time."

"There are added risks, though," I warned him. "If we are both caught, that will mean the end of Hyrule as we know it."

"Then we'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen." His blue eyes shone with determination. He extended his hand. "I promise I'll do whatever I can to help you bring Hyrule back from the edge of destruction."

I took his hand, suddenly filled with relief and appreciation. Finally, an ally in my dark and dangerous journey.


	6. Attack in the Night

Link had not been able to procure any healing potion, and neither of us wanted him to go very far to find it. I had gone through a lot of trouble to find him, and didn't want to lose him. In any case, neither of us had a concrete plan for what to do next, so I decided to spend the next few days in the little village. Though no longer in danger, I still felt weak from the events of the past few days.

When sitting out on the porch of the little hut, a handful of neighborhood children would stop by, never having seen a fighter of any kind. They insisted that I tell them war stories, and I simply substituted that of others I had heard myself as a child. They knew no more about the world outside their village than I did of farming, so it worked out fine.

The villagers frequently asked Link to help them with herding goats or repairing roofs, and as he walked quickly by with a set of tools in his hands I waved to him. "What are these people going to do when you're gone?" I asked him, half-jokingly.

He smiled. "I'm sure they'll do fine. These people are my friends…they've taken care of my ever since I was very small."

I didn't say anything after that, having forgotten that the Hero was always an orphan. I assumed his parents could have been added to Ganondorf's casualties, but then again, the hinterlands of Hyrule could be dangerous in the best of times. Maline seemed to be a gifted healer, but not all villages were so lucky, and all too many women died in childbirth. Link apparently lived in a house near the edge of the village, but he never invited me there and I never asked.

Not used to village life, I often startled at the crows of roosters, and nearly jumped out of my skin when a wandering goat attempted to sample my sleeve. Luckily my companions assumed I still felt jumpy from battle. Few professional warriors knew any more about farming than princesses. For the most part, even though I could sense the encroaching darkness not far from the village gates, I could relax and watch the children, their parents, and their livestock carry on as if nothing had or ever would happen. At night, Link and Miro would point out the star constellations, something I had always heard about but never found time to notice.

I didn't understand the constellations. They all looked like stars to me. What was more, each constellation had a long story to go with it. Miro laughed. "This is what people do when it's too dark to work…look up at the sky and make up silly stories."

"I can at least understand that one." I pointed up at one of the larger, brighter formations. "I suppose if you connected the dots, you _would_ see a sickle." I moved my hand to the west. "But you can't ever tell me that one looks like a warrior."

They laughed. "Well, what do you see?" Link asked. "Use your imagination."

I stared up at the heavens and tried to think of something. It seemed impossible to me…I might as well have looked for signs in grains of sand. Finally I decided to make something up. "That one…uh…that's the Fourth Goddess, of…metal."

They both stared at me. "Go on," Miro prompted.

"Uh…" Did they want me to come up with an entire epic battle off the top of my head? "The Metal Goddess taught people the smith's art. To farmers she gave plows and scythes, to the nobles she gave wrought silver. But this was not enough for the people, to be given fine gifts. They quarreled over each others' possessions, and turned their art to the manufacture of weapons." I paused just briefly, something in the back of my mind driving me on. "The other three rallied and drove her out, but she reappeared again in the form of a dark sorcerer. In revenge he murdered the Queen, and addled the King's mind. He attacked their only child, intending to enslave her…"

I felt Link's hand on my shoulder, and realized I had balled my hands tightly into fists, my nails digging into them. Miro stared, puzzled and concerned.

"I think it's time to go to bed," Link said softly. "It's been a long day for all of us."

I thanked him, wordlessly, with a quick glance. We all rose and retired to our respective rooms for the night.

* * *

I awoke to the sounds of panicked cries, loud bangs and guttural shouts. I leaped from my bed and grabbed my sword, a dark foreboding in the pit of my stomach. As I ran out the door, the smell of burning and heat of fire greeted me.

A flaming arrow buried itself in the wood next to me. In the darkness, goblins riding wild boar trampled the crops and playfully fired arrows at the frantic villagers. I could see Link in the thick of it, accompanied by Miro and a few of the other men wielding clubs and farm tools.

Malina threw a bucket of dirt onto the arrow next to me. "What are you doing outside?" she demanded. "Get back in the house! You don't need any more injuries!"

I lifted my sword. "I can't stand by and watch your village get burned down." _Because it's me they're after…me and the Bearer of Courage._

"You can barely stand at all. Get back in bed! We'll handle this!" she ran off to douse another arrow at the back of the house.

One of the goblins caught sight of the flash of light on my sword, and barreled toward me. I snatched up a burning branch and threw it into the boar's face. It squealed and I could smell burning bristles and tallow. Jumping off and giving the animal a swift kick, the goblin readied his spear and charged at me.

I blocked the charge with my sword and swung for its right shoulder, the one with the strongest grip on the spear. The goblin grunted and fell back, the gash spurting black blood, but after that moment didn't seem fazed. He swung his spear and I leaped aside, but stumbled and fell. I gasped in pain as I felt the sharp crack of the spear across my back, and turned my head to see it raising its weapon for another strike, grinning from ear to ear.

A bucket full of dirt struck it full force in the face, and I felt someone pull me to my feet. "What're you doing!" Malina shouted in my ear. She hauled me back into the bedroom and slammed the door shut. I heard the scratchy squeal of a chair being fixed between the doorknob and the floor on the outside.

Glued to the window and clutching the side of my back where the spear had hit, I watched the little knot of goblins converge on Link, the only one still fighting. One of them knocked his sword from his hand, grabbing him around the neck and hoisting him in the air. I dug my fingers into the rickety board that made up the window, pushing upwards with all my might.

Just as I had opened it enough to squeeze through, a flash of light caught my eye and I saw the goblin drop Link in surprise. To my horror I could see the entire group staring with wide eyes at the mark on the back of his hand. As Link rose, coughing, the goblins mounted their steeds and took off, the ecstatic villagers chasing them.

I dragged my sword behind me and helped Link to his feet. "Hurry!" I shouted in his ear. "They know who you are now! We mustn't let them report back to Ganondorf!"

Though clearly in pain, Link straightened and nodded. "Understood." He yelled over his shoulder at Miro. "I need to borrow Epona for a while. Take care of things until I get back, okay?"

Miro shook his head. "There's no need to chase them, as long as they're out of the village."

"Kera says they work for the one that took down Hyrule Castle. If we let them get away, there'll be a hundred more coming back!"

Miro gaped like a fish, then said, "Well, hurry up and get them then!"

"Where do you think you're going?" Malina demanded as I threw on my clothes and grabbed a bow and arrows Link had offered me the day before. "You're in no condition to fight!"

"Link can't shoot them all," I panted. "We can't let them reach the castle!"

Link reined in his horse and I climbed in the saddle behind him. A sharp command set the horse off and Miro yelled after us, "Good luck!"

We raced down the path into the open fields, the goblins luckily not that far ahead of us. Link turned around to say, "Let's each shoot on either side. I'll go left, you go right, okay?"

I nodded, trying to steady my bow as Epona's rough gait jostled me in the saddle. I had never shot from horseback before, but there was no better time to learn.

The goblins fired a volley of arrows at us, and I learned quickly to duck whenever Link did. He shot the monsters on his side almost effortlessly, while I could only manage two or three close to me, and one completely by luck. My arrows kept going wide of their targets as Epona hit a bump or valley. As my supply dwindled my cursing increased.

Not missing a beat, Link turned back to me with a slight smile on his face. "Princesses shouldn't swear like that."

Out of temper, I replied with a sulfurous oath, but after a moment of surprise he grinned and shot the goblin I kept missing.

One remained, the leader, doing his best to simply outrun us. The dark sky, past dawn but overhung with clouds, smelled of rain. Link spurred Epona on and I kept a tight grip on his tunic as we sped through undergrowth and scraggly trees, the goblin doing his best to lose us.

"Ow!" A sharp branch slapped Link across the face and he pressed his hand against his eye. Epona turned wide and I grasped at the reins to steer her back on the right course.

"All right?" I asked as Link shook his head and took back the reins.

"Yes," he said simply, blinking hard and concentrating. We entered a little glade, just large enough to offer a good shot at the goblin. He notched an arrow to his bow and held it, waiting for the right moment.

Just as the goblin reached the end of the clearing, Link loosed the arrow. It hit its target perfectly and the goblin fell to the ground, dead.

Link slowed Epona to a trot and I let out a great sigh of relief. He looked back at me with a smile and I started laughing. "What?" he demanded.

"That branch gave you one heck of a black eye," I managed. He touched his eye and winced.

Suddenly a loud whip-crack rent the air, and we heard a hissing sound, immediately followed by cold drops of rain hitting us hard.

I scowled, raising my hand in a futile attempt to protect myself. "Maybe we should get under a tree?"

Lighting flashed across the sky and thunder growled, as if mocking me for suggesting such a thing. Link glanced around and said, "I know of a cave nearby. We'll stay there until the storm ends."

I was relieved, because even though a warrior could not be bothered with a bit of rain, I was still injured and didn't want to catch cold on top of it. He nudged Epona off to the left and sure enough, a small cave yawned open to greet us.

The opening was large enough for all of us, Epona included, to fit inside. Link gathered a few damp sticks, tossed some tinder on top of it, and lit a fire.

As we stretched our hands toward the glowing flames, I followed the shadows dancing on the wall to the back of the cave. Instead of a dark hole, I could see an ornately carved stone door behind us. "Does this go somewhere?" I asked Link.

He shrugged. "Not sure. I've never been able to open the door. I can't read what it says, I've only been taught coarse-hand."

I stood, wavering slightly, and examined it. In fine Hylian calligraphy it declared itself to be the entrance to a temple of Farore. "Speak thy name and if you be a friend to the crown, this door will open."

Link looked at me. "Go ahead," he said, his eyes aflame with curiosity. "It's certain to let _you_ in."

I walked back to the fire. "We will…but let's rest a bit first. Many of the old temples have fallen into disuse over the years, and they may not be as friendly as they appear. Besides, I'm exhausted."

He looked disappointed, but didn't argue. "Oh well…I'm tired too, if it comes to that. One of the merchants who sells healing potion is nearby, anyway."

I didn't take my eyes off the door. "If it is indeed a temple to Farore, there may likely be something in there we can use for our quest…"


	7. Farore's Temple

I felt exhausted after the early morning battle, and I stretched out alongside the warm, inviting glow of the fire. Despite the throbbing pains in my limbs and the uncomfortable feel of the hard, gritty floor, I fell asleep within a few minutes.

I awoke with a start upon hearing a loud noise, but it was only Epona, blowing gnats out of her nose. She nibbled at the grass just outside the mouth of the cave, and I turned my head toward Link. To my surprise, he was not there. "Link?" I called out automatically, even though there was no place in that cave to hide. As I ran unsteadily out of the cave, I caught sight of a few words scratched into the dirt, in unsteady coarse-hand: _Went to find healing poshun. Be back soon._

I glanced around, nervous to discover that the Third had disappeared from my sight. But he knew the area, and Epona did not seem at all disturbed. I decided she would probably make some warning sign or sound if any evil creature did approach. I wobbled back inside next to the fire, strangely cold. My body had had just about all it could take.

As I sat down, I realized Epona's saddle blanket lay on the ground where I had been sleeping. He must have put it over me when I was asleep. I wrapped it around my shivering shoulders, unable to warm up even within the blanket and in front of the fire. Feeling ill, I decided to lay back on the floor and rolled up inside the blanket. I shivered for a while, then started falling asleep again.

I awoke later very groggy, someone shaking my shoulder. "Drink this," someone said. I felt sick to my stomach and turned my head away. A glass bottle followed my mouth and the voice's owner poured a little of its contents onto my lips. I tasted the tangy flavor of red healing potion and opened my eyes.

Link held out the bottle as if he had been one step away from forcing it down my throat. I took it eagerly and gulped the mixture down. I felt my body tingle as the magic solution healed all of the wounds which I had accumulated since the attack at the castle, and let out a sigh of contentment.

"Better now?" he asked anxiously.

"Much better, thanks." I put the empty bottle down, but he immediately picked it up and put it in his travel bag.

"For later, if we find more potion or other things," he explained. Trying not to let him see me blush, I realized that things like empty bottles were a lot more precious to people who didn't come across them as easily as I.

He straightened and nodded toward the door at the other end of the cave. "Well, what do you think? Should we go in?"

I stood, the strength returned to my body. "There is probably something that could be of use to us in there, but many of these temples have been abandoned for many years…they likely have become infested with dark creatures, and the traps laid by the ancient ones to keep them out may end up tripping us up instead."

"I suppose. But what else can we do? From what you said, we can't face Ganondorf with what we have now."

"I know…I just want to make sure you're prepared. What about Epona? We shouldn't bring her in there…"

"She'll be fine out here…and she knows her way home if we're not out before dark."

I nodded. "All right then," I said a little nervously, for I had never been in one of these ancient temples. I stepped purposefully up to the door and announced my presence. "I am Princess Zelda. Open, please."

It did. As the rumbling door lifted and disappeared into the frame, braziers inside the temple lit by magic and illuminated the room. I looked back at Link, a little uncertain, but his blue eyes blazed with excitement. "This is amazing," he said.

I smiled thinly. "We're not even in yet. We'll see how you like it once we've explored the place thoroughly."

We walked in side by side, and approached a stone statue of Farore, nearly overgrown by vines. I say "overgrown" because she was nearly covered with them, yet they seemed to have twisted around her almost like a soft green robe. Appropriate for a forest goddess, I suppose.

There were two doors, one on the left and one on the right. "Which one do we take?" he asked me.

"I don't know…my knowledge of these places is very limited. I've heard that the builders would hide maps, within the temples…they were built to last longer than civilizations. But until then we'll just have to explore on our own."

He didn't seem at all disturbed by this. "Sounds fine. Well…I pick left. Let's go!"

This room had no light. He pulled a small lantern from a loop on his belt and lit it. Something light, gelatinous, and squishy fell on my shoulder and burned like acid. I shook it off, Link illuminating it with his lantern. A bright green blob lay there quivering, the color of new grass. Link stomped on it.

"Chu chus," he muttered, carefully scraping the now-still mess into an empty bottle. "No use to anybody alive, but they're useful in potion-making. You all right?"

I drew my sword, staring up at the ceiling. "Yes, just surprised." Glancing through the dim light, I noticed that the opposite door had a set of bars in front of it. "The next room is locked," I informed him. "We must have to trip a switch or something in order to open it."

He lifted the lantern and surveyed the room. I could see a few Keese hanging in corners, and several more gelatinous blobs, but other than that the room seemed to be empty. "Might as well get rid of a few unwanteds," I said as I flashed my sword through all of them. "I can't imagine these things would belong in a sacred temple."

As soon as I had spoken – and eliminated the pests – the bars lifted and the door opened. Link looked at me for an explanation but all I could do was shrug. "I suppose there's some kind of containment spell on this place…if one room gets infested, it closes off in an attempt to keep the others clean."

He looked at our footprints on the floor, quite clear in the dust. "Yes, but nobody's been this way in years. The whole temple's probably full of monsters."

I smiled slightly. "I told you that you might not be as fond of the place once we spent some time in it."

"Well, there's got to be more in here than just monsters." He led the way into the next room. Here had once been a sparkling pool, perhaps for spiritual bathing or even just aesthetics; now there was nothing but a few spiky cave-plants, the knobby kind that took root in the cracks of forgotten springs, and a couple of goblins. Not the sentient kind, but ones whose sole purpose is to waylay travelers, like fairy-tale trolls under bridges. They caught sight of us, barked like mongrel dogs, and came for us.

We brought our swords down together, each on a different opponent. We struck in a quick series of vastly different yet complementing motions. The creatures fell from the bite of our blades; we flicked the black blood from the shining steel and sheathed our weapons. With just a short glance toward each other, we advanced to the next room.

* * *

"Are you _sure_ you tried all the combinations?"

"Sure I'm sure. There has to be something else we're not doing."

I scowled at the set of blocks haphazardly sitting in the middle of a dimly lit room, somewhere in the middle of the temple. We had managed to find a map and about a half dozen keys, but this room had been shut by a puzzle-spell.

"Doesn't your Triforce give you any help with this sort of thing?" Link asked.

I shook my head, standing on the blocks as if looking at it from a different angle would give me the answer. "Wisdom can mean a number of things, not necessarily make me a genius at pushing moldy puzzle-stones."

After ten silent minutes ticked by, he started moving the stones again, without purpose. We thought very differently, it occurred to me. While I hammered out a solution from beginning to end before putting it into practice, he simply fumbled with the pieces over and over again until he got close to the right answer.

Just as he was pushing one around for the fifth or sixth time, I got a revelation. "Link, put that one over there…and that one there…"

He did as I asked, and with the sound of creaky gears, we watched the bars lift up from the door.

* * *

"Are you ready?" I asked for the third or fourth time that day. In his hand Link held a master key, of the type that opened the largest room in the temple. In good times it would have belonged to a sage or priestess, filled with books and letters from those seeking guidance, a place to meditate and converse with the goddess. Likely now it was the den of some noisome creature.

He rearranged a few things on his belt and gripped his shield. "Ready." He put the key in the lock and turned it. I heard a creak of protest from the rusty lock, and then the chains fell away.

We walked through the open door to find…nothing. Suspicious, I hung in the doorway. Link marched into the middle of the room. "There's nothing here," he said, his voice echoing in the huge chamber. "No monsters, and no useful items, either."

My eyes darted about the room. "I can sense something here…you shouldn't just walk in like that, there could be something waiting to DROP DOWN ON YOUR HEAD! _LINK!_" I yelled, pointing above him at a huge shadowy mass that plummeted to the ground.

He rolled out of the way just in time. I stared in horrified disgust at a hideous, giant, hairy spider, bigger than an elephant and much, much more dangerous. It took one look at Link and made a disgusting noise halfway between a cough and a belch, enveloping him in some kind of black mist. "Ow! It _burns!_" he yelled.

Swiftly I nocked a arrow to my bow and let it fly. It bounced off the creature's hairy body. Fingers trembling, I took better aim the second time and sent the arrow into one of its eyes. It howled in pain and then took off after _me_.

I sprinted to the other side of the chamber, Link's dim "I'm coming!" barely reaching my ears. I turned back to see him hacking at the legs of the monster with his sword, but it didn't pay any attention to him. The grotesque spider made the sickening sound again, and then belched out the foul mist.

It _did_ burn. I hollered in pain as it stung my eyes, my nose, raking my skin and slicing my lungs. I raised my sword and swung it without purpose, unable to see.

An anguished, angry cry shattered the air. I pried my watering eyes open to see Link with his sword thrust into the monster's unprotected belly. I stumbled over to him and did the same with my own blade. The creature yanked itself free and desperately tried to dodge us, but we scrambled under it, slashing at its underside.

Finally, it unleashed a long, lonely wail, and we scrambled out of the way as it fell over, all of its legs curling up.

I felt Link's hand on my shoulder and looked up to see him smiling at me, covered in sticky spider goo. I was likewise covered in the mess. "You're probably the strangest Princess I've ever met, Kera," he said, but in a voice filled with appreciation.

"Would you prefer to go through the extra work of rescuing me from Ganondorf?" I asked him in jest.

"No." he said shortly, and laughed. "I like you this way."

I pointed behind him. "That treasure chest wasn't there before. Let's see if there's anything inside."

We walked over and opened it. His eyes wide, he reached in and showed me the contents; a bundle of arrows, each one with a metallic sheen. "Are these…made of…"

"Silver," I nodded gravely. "I'd heard that Ganondorf was once vulnerable to these, though in his many incarnations he may be immune to them now. Even so," I said to Link, seeing his face register disappointment, "they likely hold strong magical properties, and will be of great help to us on our quest."

Happy again, he split the arrows into two equal piles, and offered one to me. "Are you sure?" I asked.

He gave me a puzzled look. "Well, of course. You're part of this too, right? I saw you hit that spider in the eyes…you deserve these as much as I do."

I had always believed myself to be the equal of any Hero, in determination if not in strength. But to hear it from Link himself was entirely different. Blushing slightly at this great honor the goodhearted soul likely did not even know he had bestowed upon me, I took them from him with heartfelt thanks.


	8. On to the Next Stage

"Where to next?" Link asked as we left the dark temple and re-entered the forest glade, the sun long gone and stars twinkling through the tree boughs. I breathed deep the fresh, sweet air. It was easy to lose track of time in that place.

Remembering that I was supposed to be the guide, I said, "There are likely other forgotten temples to the Goddesses, which may also have useful items within them, and hopefully one of them can be used against Ganondorf. I suppose we should start looking for the Master Sword at one point or other, though I'd advise against getting it until much later…it does give him an advantage as well as us, after all."

He mounted Epona, who had stood dutifully waiting and eating grass all this time, and reached out a hand to help me up. "Where should we start looking?"

I marveled at his stamina. He didn't even seem tired. Climbing aboard, I said, "Temples of Din and Nayru are likely in the areas that speak to their elements. Din's elements are earth and fire, so we might find a temple near Death Mountain. The Gorons likely have some information we can use. Nayru's elements are water and time; we can probably find one of hers in Zora's Domain." Here I paused, not wanting to let on how tired I was. "But both are a good day's ride away, and it's always useful to gather information in the villages in between. We might get a clue about the Master Sword."

Grinning broadly, he nodded. "Sounds like a plan." As we rode through the woods, he seemed bursting to talk, and kept going. "I've never met any Zora before. There was a Goron merchant that came to our village once, selling firecrackers. I was only about five or six, and he seemed as big as a mountain to me." He blushed slightly. "I have to admit I was a little afraid of him at first. But he seemed like a nice fellow. And the fireworks! We set them off for our harvest festival, and I've never seen anything like it since." He continued in this vein for a while, then asked, "Have you met any of the other races of Hyrule? What about the Kokiri? Do they really exist? I used to go looking for them in the woods as a kid but never found any."

"They do; but they've become even more isolated over the years, ever since Ganondorf cursed their forest guardian ages ago. I've never seen one myself, but my father would communicate with them via forest messenger."

"And the Gerudo? Are they really all women except for Ganondorf? How does that work?"

With a flash of hope I remembered the documents of the Blood Curse I'd given to the ambassador's assistant. That was another point for our side…if they decided to repay me instead of siding with their traditional leader. But how to find out without getting too close? "They are, but that's not their natural state of being. It's a long story, but the short version is that their bloodline has been cursed. They might help us, if the information I gave them helps with their curse at all." I didn't mention that it was the Hylians who cursed them in the first place.

"What's Hyrule Castle like?"

Starting to get impatient with his questions – particularly this last one, which hit a nerve – I snapped, "I wouldn't know. It's probably a mess at this point."

He turned to look at me, his expression apologetic. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"Don't worry about it. I just need to rest…it's been a long day."

He remained silent until we reached the village of Matibo, halfway between Farore's Temple and Death Mountain. He immediately hitched up Epona next to a small inn and opened the door.

Like most inns in Hyrule, this one was open all day and all night, though the innkeeper did seem a bit surprised to see a young man and woman walk in during the wee hours of the morning. He gave us both a reproachful look. "This is no time to be playing Romeo and Juliet, my friends. Haven't you heard what's happened at the castle?"

Link blushed furiously, but I was too tired and grouchy to be embarrassed by this suggestion. "_Two_ rooms, please, and we're here on business…not that it's any of _yours_."

He made a little bow. "Beg pardon, ma'am. In times like these we gotta keep a sense of humor, eh? Sixty rupees each, please."

Link fumbled in his pockets, and I saw his eyes go wide as I handed over the sum for both of us without a second thought. "This includes breakfast, I assume?"

"Yessum. If you can wake up for it. Though if you don't mind a minor extra charge, I can whip up anything you like at any time. Name's Olan. Just ask any of the other employees for me if I'm not here."

I nodded, took my key, and headed for the stairs. "Thank you, Olan, Good night." Turning to Link, I asked him, "Don't you want to get some rest?"

He waved cheerily. "I'm wide awake. I'll take a nap later, okay?"

"All right." Once inside my room, I collapsed on the bed and fell asleep.

* * *

I awoke to the _drip, drip, drip_ of water on my forehead. I opened one eye and a drop splashed into it. Grumbling and rubbing my eyes, I sat up, and took a good look at the room around me for the first time. It was basic, certainly, with just a bed, night table, simple chair, and small fireplace. But it didn't warrant such a leaky roof.

I took a look out the window and immediately realized that the inn's maintenance wasn't the problem. It was raining so hard that I couldn't even see across the street, and the rain hit the ground with such force that it flashed like white sparks. I noticed Epona was no longer next to the hitching post. Did Link go somewhere?

When I opened the door I could hear music and loud talking, and figured that the rest of the inn's inhabitants had decided against traveling today. About thirty or so people crowded the small main room, and Olan had his hands full bustling about with food and drinks. It looked like I had arrived just in time for lunch.

"Hey, _Kera!_" I turned to see Link waving at me from a corner of the room, three older men sitting at the same table. They all wore armor of various degrees, some simple leather, some chainmail. As I approached, Link said to me, "These guys have a lot to say about Ganondorf-"

"Don't say that name," the eldest one in the chainmail snapped.

I sat down next to him. "Saying his name won't summon him here," I told him gently. "I understand the need for secrecy, if you – like most – remain loyal to the Royal Family, but I for one am not going to wander around using a lot of euphemisms."

They all stared at me as if I were straddling the fine line between bravery and stupidity; except for Link, who gave me an approving smile. I couldn't tell them, of course, that I had already spoken his name to his face.

"You'd be well advised to be more careful," the youngest said to me, fingering slashes in his leather armor. "The usurper king has sent his servants all over Hyrule. They've already infested most of the caves and wooded areas, and I hear they're making for the outlying provinces."

"We're trying to get to Death Mountain," Link told them. "Has there been any news from there?"

The third man spoke up. "I hear the leader there…Darmati, I think his name is…is holding them off fairly well. But those things move fast, and they're mighty strong."

"We should leave as soon as possible, then," I said.

The eldest stared. "In this weather? You'll be lucky if you're not carried off by the flooding."

Link smiled broadly. "I think we'll manage. In the meantime, let's get a bite to eat, shall we?"

* * *

Just before we were about to leave, Link found a bent nail in Epona's hoof, and took her off to the blacksmith to have her shoe fixed. The inn had a covered courtyard, so I spent the time practicing my stances and sword moves to the sound of the rushing rain. The hammering of water on the tile roof was so loud, and I was so absorbed in my practice, that I didn't notice Link standing there watching me.

I dropped stance immediately. "Are we ready to go?"

He stood silent for a moment, then said, "Yes…all set. Kera, I've never seen anything like that before. Is it something the nobles learn?"

I shook my head. "No…I requested this training specially from the captain of the guard, when I was told about the others who bear my name. I started at twelve, and I couldn't carry a heavy sword and shield, so he trained me with this instead." We stood in silence for a few moments, and then I said, "Would you like to try it?"

"Oh…okay." He took the sword hilt I offered him, but clenched it like he would his own. "Ease up on the grip," I told him, moving his fingers. "This one requires a lot more wrist movement than a normal sword. Now, make a flick of the wrist, like this."

I demonstrated, but he moved his whole arm. I took the sword from him and showed him a guarding stance, one arm out to the side and the other holding the sword over my head. I moved my arm slightly but gave my wrist a hard circular flick. "Here, your turn."

I realized as he took up the stance that this fighting style probably wasn't suited for him; he stood awkwardly, looking like he'd never held a sword in his life. I stepped behind him and pushed his arms and legs into the proper places.

I looked up to see him deliberately looking away, his face bright red. Finally realizing what was going on, I sighed and motioned for him to relax. "All right, there's something we need to discuss before we go any further. I don't know you very well, and you don't know me." He nodded, though I could tell he had no idea where this was going. "It's going to be a long, hard journey, and we can't let anything get in the way of our mission. No distractions, understand?"

He nodded, then changed his mind and shook his head.

I frowned. If that stupid innkeeper hadn't made that joke, I doubted we'd be having this conversation. "Look, I don't know what tales they tell in your village other than stories about the stars, but I'm sure you've heard your share of fairy tales. You're a sharp kid, and I decided I liked you from the moment we met. _But_," I added as his face lit up, "I don't want your opinion of _me_ based on the fact that I'm a girl, or a princess, or whatever the previous Bearers have done. You should see me as your friend, or your sister…at least for now," I added, as his face fell.

I extended my hand. "Link, I am your friend, and I will always stand by your side, in battle or otherwise. I guard your life with my own. Will you return the favor?"

He grinned broadly and shook my hand hard. "I will…_sis_." His eyes sparkled. "Why don't I start now by showing you a little of _my_ techniques?"

"I'd love to try it."

He handed me his sword and nodded in approval as I held it like he did. Holding up his shield, he motioned for me to strike it. "Make a hard, overhand chop. You can use gravity to your advantage."

I did so, and the sword nearly rang out of my hand. He shook his head. "You've got to hit it like you're going to slice right through. I know it's impossible, but if you think that way you'll hit it harder, and it won't hurt your wrist so much, either."

I tried again. My arm didn't vibrate up to the shoulder this time, but I still couldn't manage more than a hollow _clank_ on the side of his shield. He beckoned encouragingly. "Try it again, you're getting the hang of it."

He led me through a few other moves, slices and stabs, but it became apparent to both of us that we gained little by adopting each other's special techniques. After a brief repast, we packed up and brought Epona out of the stables, then headed down the watery path toward Death Mountain.

I rode behind him, arms around his waist to keep in the saddle, but without any tension between the two of us. Just two friends out to change the world. Which was just as well, because by the end of the trip we were uncomfortable enough, completely soaked to the bone.


	9. My Plan Unravels

"This is insane," Link shouted as we picked our way up the mountain path on foot, leading Epona by the halter. Little rivers snaked their way down the hills, turning into waterfalls as they spilled over the rocks. "Do you think Ganondorf's causing all this?"

"I doubt it," I shouted back over the roar of the rain. "There were evil things in Hyrule before he came along, and there will be even when he's defeated once and for all. We're just very, very unlucky. On your right!"

Link turned and swiftly thrust his sword into a bony, spidery creature. I didn't have names for all of Ganondorf's minions – he created new ones all the time – but the troop of Stalfos we'd found at the foot of the mountains told me there were more than just scouts here. I hoped Darmati and his people were holding out.

The rain complicated matters, shrouding our enemies in a curtain of mist and drowning out the sounds of their approach. Every few steps I wiped the water out of my eyes, my hair and clothes long since soaked and plastered to my body. _At least it's not a cold rain_, I thought grimly as I pried off a Chuchu that had attached itself to my leg.

Up ahead I could faintly see a large cave entrance, hopefully the beginning of the Gorons' town. Unfortunately, I could also make out several large shadowy shapes moving jerkily about. More Stalfos. I hated those things; fighting anything with armor was a pain, and arrows didn't work on the undead.

We left Epona just below the platform and charged them. Slow on the uptake, two of them fell to our swords before they even noticed our presence. But once we no longer had the element of surprise, it was no longer easy. I counted four, keeping in mind that more might be hiding in the cave. We each took on two at once.

The rain made the rocks slippery and I kept losing my footing, stumbling several times as I dodged or blocked a blow. One made a wide swipe at me and I lost my balance completely, falling flat on my back on the jagged rocks. As my body stiffened from the pain I saw one of them raise his sword; I kicked his feet out from under him, foiling his fatal strike but sending him falling on top of me. As I struggled to push the literal dead weight off my chest, the other one loomed overhead.

Suddenly Link's sword shot through its chest from the back, and it fell to pieces. Link helped me up out of the bony mess. "Thanks," I said, my face burning. I hadn't gone through all this trouble staying away from Ganondorf to have him pull me out of every bad situation.

"Don't worry about it." He pulled Epona up to the cave entrance. "Let's go in and see if we can dry off, all right?"

We had not gone far when a suspicious voice boomed through the tunnel, "Who goes there?"

"A Guardian of the Golden Land," I answered.

"From where do you come?" the voice asked.

"From the castle courtyards, the haunts of the Hero, an emissary of the family who holds the key to the Sacred Realm."

We both heard a sigh of relief, then loud shuffling as a Goron guard approached us. "It's good to see someone who isn't an enemy for once," he grunted. "But there are only two of you! Are you all the fighters the kingdom has left?"

"We're not here as reinforcements; we have a different mission. Could we speak to Darmati please?"

He shrugged, disappointed. "As you're from the castle, I can't really say no."

I had visited Darmati several times before with my father, but of course I couldn't tell him who I was. "Kera, is it? And Link? Well, what is your mission, then?" he growled, clearly angry that we had not been sent to protect his people.

Since we were alone in his chamber, I decided to let him in on one of our secrets. "Link is the new Bearer of Courage," I explained. "We are looking for items that may aid him in his quest. Do you know if there is anything in Din's Temple we can use?"

He frowned like a thundercloud, giving Link a once-over as if to determine if he could stand up to the previous Bearers. "I know one of my predecessors sealed something away in the temple, that was given to him for safekeeping by the last Bearer of Courage. But the temple, like our mines, has become infested with monsters…though that may not be a problem for the two of you. I ask just one thing of you; before you continue your quest, use whatever you find to drive the creatures from our home."

"Of course," Link assured him. "We wouldn't think of leaving you stranded here."

Darmati grunted and opened a small drawer. "You will need protective clothing; the lava flows from the mountain are channeled through the Temple, and just standing nearby will cook a non-Goron." He handed us both red tunics. "They have a spell upon them that will protect you from the heat, though they can't do anything if you touch the magma directly. Also, you might as well wear your wet clothes under them; they will help keep you cool."

We pulled on the tunics and left through the tunnel Darmati showed us, after stocking up on arrows and healing potion from a Goron merchant. "Good luck, and don't forget to come back when you're done!"

* * *

"I don't know how much more of this I can take," Link groaned as he wiped his forehead, after we dispatched a nest of sword-swinging lizard-men. The creatures in this place were true followers of the usurper king, not just malevolent pests like the ones in the woods, and most of the fighting had fallen to Link. On top of that, the rainwater in our clothes had long since evaporated and been replaced by sweat. "I didn't know it was possible to be so hot."

I could barely move myself; it was hard to breathe in the blistering air, which burned my lungs nearly as badly as the temple spider's acid. I wanted to sit down and rest, but knew that if I sat down it would be ten times harder for me to stand up again. Instead, I stumbled over to a nearby chest and found a key. "Let's go back to one of the cooler rooms we couldn't get into before." He had no objections.

Dangerous metal machinery filled the Goron mines, and even without the monsters it would have been difficult enough dodging spinning gears and exhaust pipes that spewed flame. In addition, they had booby-trapped several areas, which were more of a hindrance to us than our enemies. I understood the need for it, because without their mines we would have no bombs or metalwork; still, I made up my mind to insist that Darmati install a kill switch to turn them all off at once if necessary.

On top of all that, Link had a fascination with buttons, and more than once I had to stop him before he turned on a grinder beneath our feet or flipped over a platform where we stood. I couldn't get angry with him though; he took on five enemies to my one, and despite his complaints didn't seem to be fazed much by the heat. I felt like I would pass out at any moment, but kept moving doggedly onward.

"Look at this!" He exclaimed as I pulled myself out of a humid, strangling fog. He lifted an odd-looking contraption out of a treasure chest.

I examined it. "It looks like a Hookshot."

"What's that? Is it useful against Ganondorf?"

"No, but it's very useful nonetheless. Here, I'll show you." I pulled the gauntlet-machinery over my hand, aimed, and fired at a platform just above us.

It nearly pulled my arm out of my socket, and I yelped in pain and surprise as I flew across the room, nearly slamming into the wall and landing flump on my rear. But as I zoomed through the air, the wind tore the sweat from my body and I felt much cooler.

"You all right?" He called up to me.

"Yeah…this thing has one heck of a jerk to it, though." I wanted to say something that involved cursing as I climbed down the ladder, nursing my shoulder, but yelling made my head hurt more.

I handed it over and he laughed as he went sailing over to the other side. "You're right! The distance it gives you makes up for it though!"

"Let's try it over that crevasse we saw earlier," I suggested, pointing behind him.

At the yawning gap, where a glow of magma faintly registered several thousand feet below, Link put an arm around me and aimed the Hookshot. "Don't look down," he said, half-joking and half-serious.

Not wanting to tempt fate, I kept my eyes shut as we sailed over.

After a few more rooms, we found the priestess' chamber. "What do you think is in there?" Link asked me.

I thought for a moment. "My money's on a dragon…they tend to come out of the woodwork when there's evil stirring in the land. They eat Gorons, too; Darmati will certainly be happy if we get rid of it for him."

It _was_ a dragon. And _what_ a dragon! The thing filled half the chamber, dense smoke from its nostrils hanging in the air above it. The golden slits of its eyes lit up as it woke from its slumber, and the red-gold of its scales flashed in the dull light. It took one contemptuous look at us, then took a breath and unleashed a massive spray of fire. The two of us dodged to either side, the sweat sizzling on our skin as the unbearable heat blazed by.

"It's covered in armor!" Link shouted as the dragon swiped at him with a clawed hand. "How the heck are we supposed to hurt it?"

"Go for the eyes!" I yelled, drawing my bow. To our shocked surprise, the arrows burst into flame just before reaching its head. "Use the silver ones!"

"Shouldn't we save those for Ganondorf?"

"We've got nothing else that will work!" I nocked a silver arrow to my bow and pulled the string back as far as it would go. It hit the dragon right in its pupil, and the creature screamed so loud my ears rang. Then it came for me.

I was so intent on its head that I didn't see its tail. It struck me like a tree trunk and threw me against the wall. Dazed, the room spun before me as the dragon opened its mouth to finish me off.

"Yaaah! Over here!" Unable to reach its other eye, Link sent an arrow into its ear. The dragon roared in anger more than pain and to my horror, unleashed a fireball directly in Link's face. I struggled to rise, but the floor jerked out from under me and I fell.

Raising my head I saw him wreathed in fire, his face and arms bright red, blisters forming on his skin. With his teeth gritted in pain, he pulled back the silver arrow in his bow and sent it right through the other eye into the dragon's brain. With a final cry of agony, it fell to the ground, shaking the entire temple.

I fought the vertigo and stumbled toward Link, our final bottle of healing potion in hand. He smiled weakly, limping to meet me as I uncorked it.

The bottle shattered, scattering the potion.

I stared at it in horror, and my heart sank as I heard a voice with a familiar accent yell, "Looking for this?"

A Gerudo woman held up a golden staff, likely magic in nature, the item we had come for. In an instant an entire troop of them emerged from behind her, and started toward us with battle cries.

_Oh, Goddesses,_ I thought in despair. _The cure for the Blood Curse wasn't enough!_

"Kera," Link hissed to me, as we stood back-to-back. "Get out of here. They mustn't get us both!"

"They don't know who I am," I insisted. "You know what will happen if they capture you, don't you?"

We had no more time for argument. The Gerudo fell upon us like wolves after prey. I managed to make a few swings, then felt myself being pulled away from Link. As I struggled against them, I felt a hard blow to the back of my head and fell into darkness.

* * *

I regained consciousness slowly, unsure where I was or what had happened. As my mind rose to the surface, the pain returned, and at first I did not want to come back.

"Wake up," I heard a voice order above me. I opened my eyes slowly, and to my horror the image of a Gerudo woman blurred into view. She scowled at me. "There's nothing you got that should give you more trouble than a headache."

I sat up painfully. "Where am I? Where is Link?" I demanded, relieved but puzzled that she hadn't killed me. I realized I was outside, on Death Mountain somewhere.

She brought her face close to mine and spoke softly, quickly. "Listen carefully. If you want to rescue your friend, you must go to Hyrule Castle. Warn Princess Zelda that Ganondorf holds him there in order to draw the Bearer of Wisdom to him."

"Wh-what?" I demanded in horror, even though I'd heard her perfectly fine.

She shoved me toward another woman, who held Epona's halter. "Hurry, quickly."

I twisted around and looked into her face, trying to determine her true motive. "Why are you helping me, if you delivered the Bearer of Courage to Ganondorf?"

She cast a furtive look around her, then hissed in my ear, "The Hylian Princess gave us the means to overthrow him, but we can't use it yet. If you can find the Princess and rescue your friend, maybe you can give us all a chance."

There was nothing more to be said. I mounted Epona and rode off, the woman giving me just a short wave as I left.

My head spun as Epona galloped over the rocks. _How in the name of the Goddesses am I going to pull this off? Does Ganondorf know who I am? No…he would have ordered the women to bring me to him as well. But how can I get Link out of there? It was hard enough just to escape myself!_

I knew that even though Ganondorf could change his plan slightly, I could no more fill Link's role than I could Ganondorf's. Regardless of how much adventuring I did, how many items of power I found, how many spells I learned, I could never face Ganondorf one-on-one and defeat him. If I tried to charge into the castle like the Hero, it would be the death of us all, and the end of Hyrule as we knew it. I felt helpless…what good was I to Link like this? Had I doomed us all in not following the role set out for me?

But on the other hand…who said I had to do it that way? I had already manipulated my role far beyond that of my predecessors. I was the Bearer of Wisdom. I could think through this task and come up with a solution that fit my strengths.

And what were my strengths? Knowledge, mostly. Knowledge of the Triforce legend and all its components…but I could not wield the Master Sword, and the power of my piece could only be stretched so far.

I had knowledge of the castle on my side, too. With luck, the spell I had cast still sealed the most important rooms. In my younger years I had searched through the darkest corners of the palace and its foundation, sniffing out possible entrances and sealing them against the darkness. With luck, I could find Link and spirit him out of there with a minimal amount of fighting.

But how to get to him in the first place? The castle would be heavily guarded, watching for anyone who challenged the usurper king. I would have to get in through some back door I had sealed. But how to know the seal was still good? Surely Ganondorf did not intend for "his" castle to remain sealed against him forever.

_The escape tunnel!_

The secret passage I'd ordered built for my father, the nobles, and their servants…it came out in Kando, an ally of Hyrule's, though never much help when the Bearer of Power appeared. If my father and the others were safe, it would indicate that the tunnel was still secret.

I dug my heels into Epona's sides, praying that this slim chance would work.


	10. In the Lion's Den

I tore down the hills and through the fields astride Epona, racing toward the Kando border. The lack of foes I met on my way gave me apprehension rather than relief; it meant that Ganondorf had ordered those women to kill me, the Hero's Guide. I felt deeply unnerved knowing that only a dusty old scroll, given to the Gerudo Ambassador, had saved myself, Link and all of Hyrule from certain destruction.

They had put their lives in danger in the hopes that I could carry out my mission; to say nothing of poor Darmati, still besieged in his own home. The task ahead weighed even more heavily on my shoulders, especially since I had to bear it alone, at least for now.

The few attempts I made at contacting Link through magic went nowhere. I had never been good at it, and the few times I did manage to break through I only got a wave of nausea. His captor likely found it in his own best interests to keep Link only one step above dead.

Worn out and lathered by the time we reached the Kando border, Epona slowed down a good deal. I dismounted, running on my own two legs with her halter in my hand. By this time the storm had ended, but the large puddles and tiny rivers snaking their way along the path added mud to the water and sweat stains on my clothing.

The guards at the border stopped me, then waved me on when I showed them a small paper stamped with the royal seal. I repeated this with one of our own soldiers at the safe town, a scruffy little place with tipsy houses and more mud in the streets than the ditches. I smiled slightly, for there was no one outside, and I knew why; as much as the nobles likely hated their safe houses, they at least provided some shelter from the weather. I had orchestrated this whole village, of course, and knew that a sudden rise of conspicuous mansions just before the Bearer of Power's appearance would attract attention.

Pausing, I let my eyes linger on one of the larger houses, nearest the town well. A few of our infirm lived there, including my father. My heart ached, and I felt tears sting my eyes as I realized how much I missed his face, his voice, his warm demeanor. Would he fear for me? Or would he be proud that the things he had taught me had not gone to waste? I wanted to approach him, mud and all, and show him how I had learned to wield a sword and change my destiny.

But I could not. My entire mission, the source of my liberation, depended on secrecy. With difficulty, I turned my face from his house.

In the middle of the town I found what passed for a shop; upon entering the shopkeeper stumbled out of his chair and bowed eagerly. "What can I do for you today, milady?"

I recognized him as Ayural, a formerly successful merchant who often fell out of favor in the royal court. It had to do with his habit of securing illegal material. But here it was a matter of survival, and my heart lifted knowing that his traits were finally actually helping my people.

"I need healing potion," I told him straight off, then leaned in closer and lowered my voice. "Also…do you have any tools in the back?"

There was no "back" to this tiny place, but he understood what I meant. Prying a large stone from the wall, he pulled out an assortment of Kando weapons. He watched as I looked through them. "You have a warrior's eye," he said in a voice that I could tell was only half merchant's flattery.

I selected several different types of arrow. "How much for these and the healing potion?"

"Five hundred rupees."

I could easily afford that, but he would be suspicious if I didn't haggle. "They're not in the best condition. Two fifty."

"I can't take less than four hundred."

"I only have three hundred with me. Do you really know a lot of people in this little town who can use these properly?"

He sighed. "Three hundred it is, then."

I made my way to the back of the town, where it kept its rubbish heap. I figured nobody would look for an entrance to a castle among the broken pots and chicken feathers. Of course, there was another guard, though not dressed in soldier's garb. This was Sir Mawldin, and it was to him alone that I could reveal myself.

He made a great show of waving a stick at me. "Go on, you ruffian! There's nothing worth stealing here!"

I did not change my appearance, but I did loosen my gauntlet and allow the Triforce mark to show through my disguise. His eyes widened, and he made a little bow. "What brings you here?" he whispered.

"I need to get into the castle," I told him, just as quietly.

He stared at me as if I'd suggested wading through a pool of acid. "Are you insane? You haven't given up, have you? The usurper king is still there."

"I need to get something out of the castle. Don't worry about me, I know its passages like the back of my hand."

"I can't think of anything in there that would be worth that kind of risk!"

I sighed, and lowered my voice still more. "The Bearer of Courage has been taken. He's not strong enough yet to fulfill his role."

Sir Mawldin looked as if he would faint. "The Bearer of Courage taken? Then all is lost…"

"No it's not," I snapped. "I can get him out of there."

"But what if you come across the usurper king?"

I talked with more bravery than I felt. "I fought him once. I can do it again."

His eyes as wide as platters, he asked in a barely perceptible voice, "You _fought _him? And lived?"

"Barely." I grinned at my own dark humor. "Please, Sir Mawldin. I can fight you if necessary, but I don't want to…."

He stepped aside, awe and wonder in his eyes. "You are truly the leader of our people," he said. "Good luck, and may the Goddesses be with you!"

The outline of the door glowed blue at the touch of my marked hand, and I stifled a sigh of relief upon finding that my spell had indeed remained intact. Ganondorf did not know about this entrance, and if I did this correctly, he never would.

The stone door moved aside of its own accord, and with a final wave to Sir Mawldin, I sprinted down the corridor, the door closing behind me. As it shut, small veins of blue magic lit the way for me. I tried to run at a steady pace, for it would take me a good couple of hours at least to get to the end.

After what seemed like an age and a half – there was no way for me to determine time in that place – I approached the door into the castle. "Door" is probably misleading; I had engineered the spell to seal the corridor with a wall once all of the Hylians had passed through. Using another spell the Sages had taught me, I could walk through this wall without ever betraying its true purpose.

I placed my hand on the wall and closed my eyes, searching for enemies on the other side. I did not sense any in the immediate area. I nervously fingered my bow and the Kando arrows; if I used too much magic Ganondorf would sense my presence, and I wanted to avoid fighting as much as possible. If I did fight, I decided I would use weapons quick and destructive.

But even with all my careful planning, I still stood literally at death's door. My enemy was not one who would give any quarter. The two Bearers in his possession would be the end of us all.

But I was the only one who could do this.

I took a deep breath and forcefully drove all the worst-case scenarios from my mind. _This is a search and rescue mission. Find Link and get out. Focus on nothing else!_

I pressed my hand against the wall and slid through.

I felt a shock immediately upon entering, the prevalence of dark magic pressing in around me and infecting my lungs. I felt exposed and breathless, as if on top of a high mountain in thin air. Yet I knew I was undetected by my main adversary, at least for now.

After that first stunned moment, I immediately ran down the hall toward the lower quarters. The door stood at the edge of the royals' chambers; most likely Ganondorf had taken that area as his own.

I knew of three possibilities for Link's prison. One, the most likely, was the South Tower used to imprison important people with magic ability. It was the most secure place aside from next to Ganondorf himself, the second possibility. I tried not to think too much about that one. The third was the common dungeons; I doubted Ganondorf would put a warrior in one of those, whatever his condition; but if he suspected that Zelda or Kera would come for Link, it was a good place to use him as bait.

Using roundabout routes, I picked my way toward the South Tower, dodging most of the few enemies I encountered. The castle had been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries, and sometimes a new castle would be built on the remains of the old foundation. As a result, there were many hidden passages, doors to nowhere, and vents of all shapes and sizes. Alone, none of them served any purpose. But I had explored them all thoroughly in my youth, and could hide better than a mouse in a grainary.

When I came upon the main corridor to the South Tower, I nearly bumped into a horde of goblins. Luckily they had not yet seen me. I took a quick peek around the corner to count them and take note of the fact that the hallway held no paintings or tapestries. I pulled a Kando arrow from my quiver and fitted it to my bow; reddish-orange in color, the arrow bore the mark of a flaming rose. Death Blossom, it was called.

I stepped quickly into the entryway, let the arrow fly, and ducked just as quickly back into the other room. A blinding red-gold light synchronized with the cries of the goblins, white-hot heat washing over me. After a few moments I peered around cautiously; the bodies of the goblins lay charred on the floor. I ran past them, trying not to breathe in the foul stench of burning hair.

Going up the tower the normal way would require more fights with guards. This particular tower had a built-in dumbwaiter, used to prevent prisoners from attacking guards that brought food. It had a double-locked door at the top; a person would climb in with the food, take it up to the tower, and open a small compartment from the inside. Once they closed the door again, the prisoner could open the door on his side and retrieve the food. Locks and magic controlled this system, but neither would be a problem for me.

I climbed into the dumbwaiter, using the ropes and pulleys to haul myself up to the top. After pulling on the lever that opened the first door, I entered the middle chamber and pressed my hand against the next door, searching for signs of life. My heart leaped as I sensed Link's presence; I had been right after all. What was more, I could not sense anyone in the room with him.

I paused ever so briefly, wondering if perhaps I still might be walking into a trap. Wouldn't Ganondorf have placed someone inside with the Bearer? Might he be watching somewhere, ready to pounce? Even if he didn't know about the dumbwaiter, surely he must have put some kind of spell or charm on the room to prevent Link from escaping?

Of course, I could sit here all day and think of things that could go wrong. There was really only one way to find out. I pressed my hand to the door and slid through.

I found Link lying on the clean but bare floor (the furniture had been removed; Ganondorf rightly figured that Link could use anything as a weapon), his head and hands wrapped in bandages. He sat up at the sound of my feet on the floor, even though it clearly pained him. "Kera!" he hissed. "How did you get here?"

I could tell he meant not "how did you get in" but "how did you manage not to get caught". "I'll explain later," I told him, and handed him a bottle of the healing potion. "Who tended to your wounds?" I asked curiously.

After downing the potion, he started ripping off the bandages, revealing the healed skin beneath. "One of the Gerudo women felt sorry for me," he said gratefully. "She put some kind of salve on the burns. It helped take the edge off the pain."

"Well, we can't hope for something like that again." I took his hand and pulled him through the dumbwaiter wall. If this startled him he didn't show it. I moved toward the dumbwaiter itself.

Suddenly the entire world slammed into me from all angles, driving piercing pains through my body. I couldn't move. I couldn't see. Magic, powerful magic, pinned me down as a terrifyingly familiar presence snaked its way around my head and needled eagerly, teasingly, at my mind.

I pushed back, hard as I could, drawing in strength from my mind, my body, my life force. I thrust the searching tentacles from my brain and forced the bindings around my body away from my chest and neck.

I opened my eyes to find myself on my knees, head down, tears streaming from my eyes and sweat dripping off my face. Link kneeled next to me, holding one of the potion bottles in front of my face and yelling in my ear. "Kera! Kera! What happened? Are you all right?"

_He put the spell on Link himself…once he crossed the walls, the spell attacked the person helping him escape…_

"He knows you're out," I gasped, groping for the dumbwaiter's rope. "I can keep us hidden…but not for very long…"

Link took the rope from me and started working the pulleys. "Okay. You show me how to get out of here. I'll do the rest." Once we reached the bottom of the tower he pulled my sword from its scabbard and grasped my hand. "Which way?"

"Wait a moment."

"I thought we were in a hurry!"

"He set off a magical alarm…wait for the first rush…"

A horde of goblins and armed skeletons rushed past the little alcove where we hid. I could feel his nails digging into my shoulder, sense the anxious look on his face as I clutched my head in pain.

After that first rush, I nodded and we ran down the corridor. I had to keep grasping his hand to avoid bumping into walls or falling down stairs. Ganondorf's angry presence filled my vision and stabbed into my head. The assault on my mind rubbed my brain raw, as he relentlessly pressed to determine who I was and where we were.

Dimly, I could sense Link fighting off other attackers. More than once I felt the nick of a blade and the bite of teeth. Once he bumped into me and I felt hot liquid from his face transfer to my own. I fought to keep my eyes open so I could point him in the right direction, toward the wastewater sluice near the basement of the castle.

The pressure built until I feared my head would explode. I had to cut off one of my spells. "I can't hold him off much longer!" I shouted to Link. "He's going to know where we are…but I can kill off some of our other pursuers at the same time…"

I didn't hear any acknowledgement from Link, but it didn't matter. I held the massive power that constructed the invisibility spell, then suddenly thrust it outward in all directions. I felt the shockwave resonate throughout the castle and heard the defeated cries of our pursuers.

Then, in the back of my mind, a triumphant chuckle that nearly drove me to my knees. My sight restored, I pulled Link behind me. "He knows where we are! Hurry!"

Luckily we had reached the castle basement. With only a few hundred yards to go, I heard the thump of booted feet and the jingle of mail behind us, along with an unmistakable presence. Link must have felt it too, for we both doubled our speed.

We halted at a small platform, a narrow ladder leading down to the sluice gate. Four levers controlled the gates; when all four were pulled, a massive amount of wastewater would push us out of the castle and down toward the lake. I was counting on its power to get us away from the castle quickly. As I snatched my sword from his hand, I ordered him to go down and pull the levers.

"But…" he stared off toward the sound of rattling armor. "You can't fight him alone…"

I pulled a Lightning Arrow from my stash of Kando weapons. "We can't let him take both of us, and it's more important that you stay free. Hurry!" I practically shoved him down the ladder.

I pulled the arrow back as a dark shadow appeared on the floor from around the corner, letting it loose just as the shadow's owner rounded the bend. The corridor lit up with crackling light and Ganondorf's livid cry of pain nearly shattered my eardrums. The electric power that would have killed a lesser man faded, and he stood straight, pulling the now-drained arrow from his shoulder. I plucked another arrow from my quiver, this one tipped with poison.

With a wave from his hand, my bow split and shattered. I gripped my sword and planted my feet, straining my ears for the sound of rushing water.

"Kera, is it?" he said in a maddeningly calm voice. I made the mistake of meeting his gaze with my own. At once I felt a strange sense of apathy sweep over me, then a gentle caress over my mind very different from the stabbing pains of before. It held the sickening sweetness of opium, pulling the ground from beneath my feet, until I felt an overwhelming urge to reveal all, tell him everything, rush forward and give myself up to an all-encompassing embrace.

Somewhere behind me, Link cursed at someone or something and it jerked me back to my senses. I drove the invading spell from my consciousness as it attempted to wrap itself around my mind like a starfish over a clam. As I hit back, a discernable snarl hung in the air and I could see his fury in his face, like a hawk that has missed its rabbit.

He drew his sword. "I don't know where you came from, Hero's Guide, but your journey ends here. Consider yourself honored that I would bother to kill you with my own hands."

I steadied my sword knowing there was no way I could survive another fight with him. As he rushed toward me, I heard a triumphant yelp and the sudden roar of water.

Just as he reached me I spun around and leaped into the water, grabbing hold of Link as he swept past. I pulled him under the surface just as a fireball exploded over our heads, and when we surfaced I could hear Ganondorf's furious shouts echoing in the halls behind us.


	11. Recalibration

The canal swept us out of the castle and away through the fields toward Lake Hylia. After surfacing for air I kept my head down as much as possible, fearful of what I might see if I glanced behind me. We rode the current until three-fourths of the way to the lake, when the water began meandering lazily along curves and between small hills.

I was loath to leave the relative safety of the cold water; I felt Link pull me out along with him. I stepped onto solid ground and my legs gave way under me, my hands shaking as I pressed them to the ground. I felt weak, ill, strangely suffocated. His hand clasped my shoulder. "Are you all right?" he asked softly.

My hands tingled and I began shaking uncontrollably. The mental armor I wore, already cracked by my encounter with Ganondorf, completely shattered. I raised my hands to my face as tears began to fall. "I can't go through that again…I can't…I can't face…_him_…" His malevolent presence, his face filling my vision, surrounded me again and I broke down.

Dimly I could feel Link's embrace, hear him speaking softly, calmly, awkwardly trying to stroke my hair in a motherly gesture. "I'm sorry, Kera. I'm the one supposed to be fighting him, not you."

I struggled to regain my composure. Wiping my eyes, I stood. "Forgive me for this moment of weakness. Defying him took a great amount of mental force…"

He smiled widely. "Weakness? Not at all. Just shows you're human."

I could not help but smile back. "Thank you. This may sound strange, but…as the bearer of Courage, have you ever felt fear?"

To my surprise, he nodded. "Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the will to continue on despite fear."

"Were you afraid, back there in the castle?"

He thought for a moment. "Not so much when we were running, and fighting. I'm fine when I'm able to _do_ something. It was the waiting in the tower that scared me the most. I couldn't think of a way out, for all I knew Ganondorf would come in and finish me off at any moment, and most of all, I didn't know what happened to you."

"The Gerudo helped me," I explained. "Giving them the secret to the Blood Curse did help, after all. They just couldn't defy him openly."

Link caught sight of something behind me and pointed. "I think they've come to help us some more."

I turned to see the same woman whom I spoke to in Din's Temple, riding a horse with two others behind her. Behind them came Epona.

"Is this yours?" The woman asked. As I nodded, Link eagerly ran over to his horse and rubbed her ears. "We found it wandering along the Kando border."

"Thank you," I told her with a little bow. "My name is Kera, and this is Link."

"I am Atrayu," she replied; the other two behind her remained silent. "We are part of a small group of Gerudo that are working against the Mad King. Kera, have you been in contact with the Princess Zelda?"

"I have."

She nodded in approval. "We are told that she is the one who holds the key to the Hylian magic known as the Triforce. We believe that it has poisoned the minds of our successive kings." Here she narrowed her eyes. "We are true Gerudo, but we assist you in order to purge this madness from our people."

"I understand."

"I cannot give to you the artifact housed in Din's Temple, a magic wand of Hylian origin. Ganondorf insisted that we hand it over to him, so that you could not use it. However, it is my understanding that it would not have served very well in a fight against him anyway."

"Of course." _Still, it might have helped,_ I thought bitterly.

"However, we can give you some useful information. Ganondorf ordered us to locate the artifact known as the Master Sword; I can give you its location so that you can use it, as we took the one you had." Here she nodded at Link.

"Excellent!" he exclaimed.

"We might as well use it now," I said more to myself than anyone else. "He's just going to keep coming after us."

"The Master Sword is located in Nayru's Temple, at the bottom of Lake Hylia," Atrayu informed us. "Or at least that is what Ralia, the Zora Queen told us. However I have no reason to doubt her words, as she knows we work for Ganondorf only under duress. She also knows that none but the Bearer of Courage can remove it." She motioned impatiently toward Link, still petting his horse, to make sure he listened. "With Ralia's permission, you should have no trouble getting in; but once you remove the Master Sword from its resting place, Ganondorf's power will increase tenfold. Since we were forced to tell him where it is, once the seal on him breaks, he will know exactly where to find you."

She unwrapped a small sword strapped onto the back of her horse. "We were also ordered to collect any weapons the Bearer of Courage might use. As this was a lesser task, Ganondorf did not insist that we bring them back to him. I found this in the woods near the southern border, in a tomb of one of the old heroes. I hope you'll forgive me for disturbing his rest."

Link took the sword from Atrayu and bowed. I told her, "If the last bearer of that sword was indeed one of the old heroes, he would be pleased to pass on his weapon to the new Bearer. We thank you for all the help you have given us, Atrayu, though it has put you in danger."

Her eyes flashed. "The Gerudo fear no danger when it comes to the well-being of their own people. I trust _you_ will help _us_ purge the Hylian magic from the maddened minds of our leaders."

"That is all the help I can give you," Atrayu said as she twitched her horse to the side. "Ganondorf will sense our presence if we stay here too long. Good luck on your quest."

"Thank you again, and good luck to you as well!" We both called after them as they departed.

* * *

As we rode toward Zora's Domain, I decided to bring up something that had been bothering me for a long time. "Link…my predecessors have always apologized for bringing you into this quest. But you don't seem to mind."

He turned back to look at me, a little surprised. "Apologized? But isn't that what the Bearer of Courage is supposed to do? Isn't he chosen because he has the traits needed for such a thing?"

I frowned. "Just because I am the Bearer of Wisdom does not mean I cherish my task."

"Do you regret your fate?"

Thinking long and hard, I said slowly, "I'm not sure…it is a sad fate, but I could think of worse…I wish my mother had not died, and that my father had not gone senile. I would rather never have to lay eyes on Ganondorf again. And yet…it is hard to tell, because this is all I have ever known."

"I thought you didn't know about all this until you turned twelve."

"I didn't, but…well, the life of a Princess has many constraints in terms of duty, Bearer of Wisdom or not," I said after a long pause. I had never really thought about it before. "In truth…I think I actually have more freedom than I would in a time of peace. But it's foolish of me to say such things," I added hastily, blushing. "To put my own desires above those of my people…"

"I don't think you're being selfish," he said with a warm smile. "You're adaptable, just like me. If you had grown up in a time of peace, you probably would have found a way to gain your freedom anyway."

"Adaptable?" This was not a word I had ever thought of in terms of myself. "Is that how you describe yourself?"

He nodded, turning back to the landscape in front of us, his voice unhindered by the wind in our faces. "If there's work to be done, people to help, then I do it. It doesn't matter if it's mending fences or fighting evil kings…I'm not the type of person to lie around all day." He patted the hand I kept around his waist. "People tell me I'm good at making friends, that I like just about everybody. I'm happy to see so many things I wouldn't back home, the temples, the Gorons, the Zora."

I didn't know why, but for some reason his response made me blissfully happy. Like perhaps it wasn't all for nothing. Perhaps one could still find a ray of light in the darkness. I wasn't screwing up his life. And for all of its trials and tribulations, I was satisfied with mine.

I stopped doubting the Goddesses' will. They had chosen wisely. I could trust them to lead us where we needed to go.

* * *

Link stared in awe at the complex set of aqueducts the Zora had built over many years. The twisting and turning channels delivered water to many of the towns and fields of Hyrule, most of it going directly to Hyrule Castle and the town. The Zora were a much more closed society than the Gorons, only communicating with us in times of great need. Indeed, we would have left them to themselves, for even though they had skilled warriors among them they posed no threat to us. However, they controlled Hyrule's water supply, and for that reason we strove to maintain good relations; water in return for protection.

I explained this all to Link, who was only half listening, too absorbed in the aqueducts. They were indeed impressive both in size and to the extent that they had permanently altered the river's flow. As we reached the first outside gate, a Zora guard leaped from the water and stood in front of us. "Who are you, and what business do you have in the Zora's Domain?"

Link spoke for both of us. "My name is Link, and I am the Bearer of Courage. My friend is Kera, a warrior from the neighboring provinces. I was told that Queen Ralia could help us find the Master Sword."

A look of intense relief passed over the Zora's face. "Praise Nayru. We have been overrun with Gerudo as of late. They have left now, and seemed to pose little threat, but I understand their Mad King has once again taken possession of Hyrule Castle. I will bring you to Her Highness."

We rode behind him on grassy pathways, and I noticed that he wore light shoes in addition to his natural scaly armor to protect him from anything he might step on. "These structures are amazing," Link said to him, pointing to the stone arches above. "Your people made all of these by themselves?"

"Yes and no," the guard answered politely. "The stone we acquired from the Gorons, and they helped some with the actual building. But the design and engineering is all ours."

Link seemed just as interested in the Zora as he had in the Gorons. "Why don't you ever go to the other realms, if you can live both on land and in the water?"

I could tell the guard's patience was wearing thin, and put a hand on Link's shoulder. The guard answered, "We prefer the peace of our own pool. We are not by nature a very social or warlike people, though we can fight if need be."

After navigating a narrow path leading through more guards' gates among the twisting, overlapping aqueducts, we reached the main cavern. "Queen Ralia is at the top of the cavern," the guard informed us. "I must return to my post." He gave us a little bow and turned back.

Link and the Zora in the cavern's pool engaged in a staring contest. I remembered them being friendlier when I had journeyed here with my father, but then things had been a lot calmer back then. An influx of Gerudo likely made them suspicious of strangers.

The Queen's throne room, decorated in quartz and turquoise, had a small natural hole in the ceiling that brought light to the shallow pool below, the water reflecting in wavy flashes on the ceiling and the walls. Sitting on her throne, reflected in the pool in front of her, was Queen Ralia. Her skin had a deeper bluish tint than the others, and the scaly skin that served as both clothing and armor held small pearls that had been implanted there.

A flash of anger crossed her face. "So the Bearer of Courage has finally come." Her voice made a bitter echo throughout the room. "At least this time we have not turned to ice. Assisting the Hylians in their wars with the Mad King always goes badly for us. We tire of sacrificing so much to hide their treasures."

Link could only stare, so I took over. "Forgive us, Your Highness," I said, keeping my head down and my voice respectful. "We move only as Din, Farore, and Nayru move us."

Here her tone softened a little. "I understand the will of the Goddesses. But we are not as strong as the Gorons, and we cannot just pick up and move like the Hylians." Her point made clear, she gave us the information she knew we needed. "There is a secret chamber in our domain that leads to Nayru's temple, which will help you bypass some of the traps Ganondorf has set for you. But he knows the whereabouts of the sword you seek, and will likely appear the moment you take it from its pedestal. For that reason you should plan your method of escape before you touch it. And please," she said with a wry look, "if you can help it, try not to lead him back up here to us."


	12. Nayru's Temple

We replenished our supplies at a small shop owned by a young Zora. Link's brows furrowed with worry when she gave us the exorbitant prices, but we had no time to haggle or visit other merchants. I handed over a good sum of the savings I had taken with me from the castle. This was not the time to be frugal.

As we packed our newly acquired items, I said softly to Link, "We should plan our exit strategy now. Since Ganondorf knows the location of the Master Sword, and will sense the moment you pull it from its plinth, we have to expect that he will appear seconds after you lay hands on it."

He pondered this. "Should we try to set some kind of trap for him? A nest of bombs, maybe? D'you reckon there could be anyplace we can hide and ambush him?"

"Hiding will be impossible. With all three pieces of the Triforce so close together, he will be able to sense where we are. And I doubt bombs will have any effect on him. I know the Silver Arrows may hurt him, and the Master Sword of course, as well as my Kando weapons." I had two Lightning Arrows left, one Death Blossom, and one Poison Arrow. "But if we can, we must try to escape from him." I ran my hand along the walls of the cavern, able to feel the power emanating from Nayru's temple even from here. "Wisdom is Nayru's gift, and my piece has a special affinity to all things connected to her. I may be able to draw magic power from the temple itself, and transport us out of the room the second he appears." I looked Link in the eyes. "I won't be able to transport the two of us very far, though…we will need to run, and likely fight."

Link grasped my hand in a gesture of solidarity. "I'll fight this time," he insisted, meeting my gaze with a ready expression. "Leave it to me."

I nodded in thanks. His courage and willing demeanor gave me a great deal of support. I could not do this without him.

A guard escorted us to the hidden chamber, little more than a water-filled hole in the ground, just barely big enough to accept one person at a time. The guard handed us two masks made out of fish scales. "These will help you breathe underwater," the guard explained. "The secret passage is always flooded, to help keep out intruders. Much of the temple is filled with water as well."

Hesitantly, I took one of the masks. "Link…" I said slowly as he eagerly pulled his over his face. "I…I never learned how to swim."

"Really?" He stared at me with earnest surprise. "But in the river…"

Blushing with embarrassment, I stuttered, "I was hanging on to you…I mean, I can float a little, swim a stroke or two, but princesses aren't normally taught these things, and I spent all my free time practicing swordsmanship and magic spells…I could keep my head above water, but if I had been by myself, or tried to move against the current…"

He smiled and took my hand. "Don't worry…the most dangerous thing about water is drowning, and these masks solve that problem. I've been swimming in the pond and creek back home for as long as I can remember…I'll show you some of the basics when we get inside."

"All right." I didn't want to say it, but I feared that this handicap would throw us into Ganondorf's hands once again.

I followed Link into the dark passage, dark water swirling around me and invading my clothing. Light blue, iridescent coral-like creatures lighted the walls. Link took my hand and pulled me forward, as I struggled to walk through what felt like thick molasses. He turned his head to face me. "All right?" he asked, his voice echoing strangely through the mask in the water. I nodded.

After a good twenty minutes we found a small grille only large enough to crawl through, with the switch on our side. We decided to leave it open for when we returned. I doubted there was any safe way out of this temple other than the one we had just used.

Above us, we could see the surface of the water. A large pillar stood in the middle of the room, with passages to other rooms on several levels on the walls around us. Link kicked off against the ground and floated upward, gesturing toward me to follow. I jumped up, but found myself hampered by all the equipment I carried. _How does he do that with the enormous shield he has?_ I fumbled in the water, kicking and swatting but not really getting anywhere.

"Wider strokes," he instructed, and demonstrated. I stretched out my arms and legs and attempted to copy his froglike movements. "Slower," he added. "Put the power in the push upward, not moving your limbs back into place."

Finally I managed to surface. Around me I could see more passages, with a small platform surrounding the middle pillar. He swam over to it and hauled himself up; I did the doggy-paddle and floundered over the side until he gave me a hand up. "Where to first?" he asked.

I tried to catch my breath. "I hate to say this, but I think we're just going to have to pick one." I sat down for a moment, taking note of the structure of the building. Hit but sudden inspiration, I unloaded all my bombs and began lining them up around the pillar in the middle.

"What are you doing?" he demanded. "If you break that pillar, it'll bring the whole place down on our heads."

"I'm not going to light them…now. But that's the idea. I'm hoping it falls on Ganondorf's head…once we're back inside the secret passage."

He looked doubtfully at the long distance between the platform and the floor. I knew what he was thinking; I would never get to the bottom in time. Pulling out the Death Blossom arrow, I said, "I'm going to set the bombs off with this on our way back. Its explosion can be delayed, so that should give us enough time."

His grim face broke into a smile. "Good thinking."

I put the arrow back. "Now, I guess all we can do is get started."

We picked an entrance at random, on the west side of the grand room, one level below us. I dived too hard and nearly missed the entrance, struggling upward to compensate. I found navigating the passages much easier; I could push off the walls if I found myself going too far in one direction or the other. Finding air bubbles became pockets of relief after struggling through the water, and Link's hookshot easily snapped both of us across wide gaps.

Of course, dark creatures also infested this temple, and the water made it ten times harder to fight them. The water threw all of my sword thrusts into slow motion. We wound up splitting the tasks, with Link fighting the creatures while I hunted for switches, sometimes taking the hookshot from him to reach one over our heads.

We struggled onward, hungry and exhausted but driven by need. I tried to ignore the way my wet clothes squished as I ran and kept busy to stay warm in the cold, damp temple. Several times we ran into dead ends, and he met my curses with smiles. "That's a very unladylike way for a princess to talk," he joked.

"Where have you been these past few days?" I asked him after the fifth blank wall. "What kind of lady fights evil warlords and goes swimming in moldy temples?" We wound up finding the temple map _after_ we had committed the entire place to memory. Which, of course, led to more swearing from me.

Convinced that the last passage _must_ lead to the Master Sword, we charged through the hallway and then into another huge room, though not as big as the main room. Ankle-deep water covered the floor, both other than that, the entire place was completely empty.

"That's odd…" Link looked around, stepping forward cautiously. He never forgot the incident in the Forest Temple. "There doesn't seem to be anything in here. Maybe the Master Sword wasn't stored here at all? Do you think the Gerudo tried to trick us?"

I pointed. "There's a door on the far end. This isn't the priestess' chamber, just a big room."

We walked across with the hairs on the back of our necks standing up, and would have been easily spooked if there had been anything to spook us. The place really seemed deserted, though I couldn't think of any reason for an enormous empty chamber, or why there were no dark creatures in this place.

Iron bars held the far door shut tight. Link looked at me for an explanation.

"There must be something in here that we're missing," I surmised. "Maybe…I don't know…an invisible switch?"

"Let's give the whole place a good combing over." Link and I split up, scouring the floor.

I stared at the ground, not sure what I was looking for. The unearthly blue light that illuminated the entire temple seemed strangely bright in this particular room; so bright that I cast a dark shadow across the water, which shuddered and twisted as I made tiny eddies while I walked.

Suddenly, my shadow twisted around behind me and I jerked my head up to determine why the light source had moved. I felt something grab my ankles and pull me down through the floor, into a deep expanse of dark water that had not been there moments ago. I cried out and just before my head slipped beneath the surface, I saw Link hurrying toward me with a shocked expression on his face.

Something wrapped cold arms around mine and ripped the mask from my face. I choked on the cold water, kicking against my captor and struggling to free myself. As the liquid seared my lungs I made one last desperate bid for freedom, bubbles bursting from my mouth as I pushed with a terrific strain, to no avail. The world around me went black.

* * *

I awoke to find myself on my back, staring up at the ceiling, the unwholesome reddish-brown color of an old wound. I sat up, water rolling off my back, and realized I sat in a very similar room to the one I just left. "Link?"

"He's not here." I jumped to my feet and whirled round to find…me, wearing my royal dress. But this other me had a strange, sickly cast to her skin, and glared at me out of unearthly red eyes. "Silly girl…did you think he would succeed in his quest with _your_ help?"

I drew my sword. "You take me for a fool. You're just one of Ganondorf's little mind-tricks. Once I get rid of you, I'll wake up."

She laughed, an eerie tinkling sound, like hearing brass bells when expecting the sound of silver. "Maybe you should use your brain instead of your sword, since you're supposed to be the Bearer of Wisdom after all. Do you really think playing sidekick is going to break your curse?"

"Enough talk." I took a swing at her, but she moved aside as quickly and softly as smoke.

"You know, if you really want to break your curse, there's an easy way to do it." She stood facing me, completely relaxed, as if she saw me as no threat at all.

"I have a feeling that whatever it is, if it's coming from you, it's probably wrong." I made several feints and thrusts, trying to force her into a corner or make a wrong move. Every time she darted away unhurt, just like the shadow she was.

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" She flashed a wicked smile. "The curse remains because you and your predecessors always try to resist him. Wisdom and Courage are no match for Power."

"Shut _up_." My swipe went wide, and I could see in her eyes that she knew my anger was getting the best of me. I tried to steel myself and shut my ears, but her words leaked into my brain.

"Surrender to him," she whispered calmly, as if it were the most natural, reasonable thing in the world. "It is your country that he wants, and the Triforce. Give him your piece and he will spare your life. You could live on in exile…or you could simply welcome him into your home, and stand by his side."

I made a face. "I'm not even going to think about the second option, and as for the first, how do you even know he would make such a concession?"

With a Cheshire Cat smile, she advanced slowly toward me, the slices of my sword passing right through her with no effect. "Because, my dear, we are all connected to his consciousness. All of the creatures you have fought are his design, including myself. I was sent here to give you one final peace offering…surrender or die."

I tightened my grip on my sword. "Forget it. You're just a mirage, a figment of my imagination."

"Hah!" Her voice suddenly deepened, and with horror I listened to it morph into that of another as she spoke. "You silly fool. You must have a very active imagination, if it can do _this!_"

My double dissolved into a shapeless shadow, then whipped around me and threw me into the wall. "The choice is yours…surrender or die!" Thick bands wrapped around my neck, choking me.

_This isn't real…this isn't real…wake up, damn it!_ I thrashed against the shadow, struggling to breathe.

It snarled in my ear. "So this is your decision. Very well…die."

The bands around my neck tightened. I could feel the blood stalling in my brain. _Wake up, Zelda, wake up!_

* * *

A fit of coughing wracked my body, and I pulled myself upward out of the shallow water. I opened my eyes to find myself back in the original room, the shadow double nowhere to be found.

Once my head stopped spinning and I could see properly again, I glanced around for Link. He lay motionless, face-down in the water nearby. I ran to his side and rolled him over. His skin felt cold as ice, his eyes closed, and I could not feel him breathing at all. I found a weak pulse, already slowing.

I shook him, yelling in his ear. "Wake up, Link! Wake up!" I slapped him across the face, pummeled his chest, but to no avail. Straddling his chest, I placed my hands on either side of his head and pressed his forehead against mine, hoping the spell would work. I had never been able to try it, only read about it.

I thrust my mind into his, searching for something in particular. Striving to keep myself separate from him, I flashed past childhood memories and dark personal secrets. At last I found what I was looking for; a dark ball of malevolent energy. I seized it with my will and crushed it.

He rewarded me with a blast of regurgitated water in my face. I wiped it off and helped him to his feet. "Are you all right?"

He wiped his forehead, looking every so slightly shaken up. "Yeah…yeah, I am now. Thanks, that was…really…"

"No need for thanks. Let's get out of this crazy place." The iron bars on the door had disappeared, and we both ran out of there as quickly as we could, snatching up our breathing masks as we did.

* * *

After that room, the remaining passages of the temple gave us little trouble. Upon reaching the priestess' chamber, we found it empty save for a large sword thrust into a plinth on the far end. "No giant monster?" Link asked doubtfully as we crept inside.

"No." I took a deep breath. "He wants you to take the sword. That way, he will regain his lost power, and he will know immediately where we are."

He shifted uneasily, knowing our unnerving experience in the shadow room would not help us fight him. "Well, there's nothing else we can do, is there?"

Nodding, I said, "I still think I can transport us a few rooms down, using some of the ambient power dwelling within this place. After that…all we can do is run."

"Or swim." He turned to me. "Are you up to it?"

"Yes. I think I have enough power to transport us more than once. We'll bypass the worst places, and once we get to the main chamber, I'll set Death Blossom for a delayed reaction and light the bombs."

He took my hand. "Ready?"

"Ready."

We walked up to the plinth, and I wrapped my hands around his waist. "The second you pull that thing out, I'm going to send us out of here. All right?"

He nodded.

"Okay…_NOW!_"


	13. Twisted

The moment I heard the ring of metal, I clenched my arms around him and concentrated all my will on a room three doors down. I felt a bizarre sensation, as if something very large had just whipped past me, rocking me in its wake. I felt solid stone under my feet and opened my eyes in triumph to see both of us in the room I had chosen, Link proudly holding the Master Sword aloft.

An enormous roar of maddened rage rumbled like thunder throughout the temple. We stared at each other for the briefest of moments, then set off at a sprint, side by side. I could feel the mark on my hand resonating; we were far too close, but I couldn't transport so soon afterward. We bolted through rooms, leaped off platforms and smashed through obstacles, the storm behind us literally at our heels.

As we burst into the Shadow Room we both ran even harder, the opposite door much too far away. Halfway across I pulled the Poison Arrow from my quiver, concentrating on the level and tone of noise behind us. The moment I heard the door rip open behind us, I whirled on my heel and flicked the bowstring.

It missed.

Not daring to look behind me, I felt my hair stand on end, hearing the crackle and smelling the sharp lightning-like scent of magic. I hurled myself forward and literally tackled Link; before we hit the ground we were in another room, two doors down, the first door now a gigantic hole where the spell had connected.

We didn't stop to speak or contemplate. He helped me haul myself up off the ground and we bolted away just as fast as we did before. Pulling our masks on over our faces, we leaped as one into the first water channel. I hoped that the water slowed Ganondorf as much as it did us – to the best of my knowledge he couldn't swim either – but I knew not to hope too much.

After a few twists and turns, we surfaced only to see a blank wall. We stood stock-still for a moment in alarm, realizing we'd taken a wrong turn, then jumped back in. I could feel intense vibration all around us in the water.

We surfaced again, only to find that we stood on the wrong side of a metal grille. My mind blanked and I couldn't think of anything to do except curse; Link yanked an arrow from his own quiver and shot it into a switch right through the grille. We scrambled under the metal grate as it lifted and fell a good ten feet down into the next room. I had forgotten about the sharp steel traps, and one sliced my palm as I steadied myself after the jump. "Keep going!" I yelled to Link as I ripped a bit of fabric from my clothing and hastily wrapped it around my hand.

Already I had a stitch in my side and I began to slow down, holding my injured hand against it. I felt as if I were suffocating, unable to breathe fast enough, my legs crying out from the punishment I dealt them. Link hung back once or twice, a worried expression on his face, but I waved him on. At least one of us had to get out of here alive.

Five more doors, and we found ourselves inside the main room. I motioned for Link to go on and pulled Death Blossom from my quiver. Thrusting it into one of the cracks in the pillar, I pulled at the fletching to light the delayed fuse.

A spasm of pain shot through my hand. As I attempted to part the fletching with my fingers, I realized that the steel trap had sliced through muscle. The rumbling growing louder behind me, I bit at the fuse as I held the arrow in my good hand. As I fumbled around trying to find a way to light it, I heard a bark of triumph behind me.

I raised my head to see Ganondorf framed in the doorway, holding a ball of magic energy in his hand with a self-satisfied grin on his face. His eyes met mine and I felt a strange hypnotic sensation, as I imagine a mouse must feel when caught in the gaze of a viper. Without even thinking about the pillar, bombs, or anything else, I handed myself over to instinct and leapt into the water.

A whitish-purple ball of energy smashed into the space where I had been kneeling a moment before. I sank in the water facing the pillar, and watched as a bright crimson blast blossomed out and around the room. A split second later, a shockwave of sound blasted in a ring throughout the temple as the bombs went off, throwing me into a dizzying miscellany of chaos. Up mixed with down and left with right. Momentarily stunned by the force of the blast, I watched as the ceiling of the temple hit the water in an explosion of sizzling froth, falling toward me in slow-motion.

Something grabbed my arm, and before I could react I found myself floating along the secret passage, Link pulling me behind him. I flailed in the water, trying to move faster, and he whirled round. He stared at me bug-eyed for a moment, then wrapped his arms around me. "By the Goddesses…I thought you were dead!" His voice betrayed the depth of his emotion, nearly cracking in fear and relief.

"That can still happen!" I wiggled free, still stricken with that stitch in my side. "Come on, hurry!"

We scrambled out of the passage and between the startled Zora guards, the rumbling growing even louder. Amid angry yells from the Zora, we fled through their domain, unsure if Ganondorf or the collapse of the Temple awaited us if we stayed.

Link ripped off his breathing mask. "How far do we have to run?!"

"I don't know! Just keep going!" I tripped, somersaulted, and rolled right back up to my feet. If it had been any other time, I would have found it comical. I didn't even think about it.

We bolted through the main gate and scrambled into the saddle. "Oy! Link! Kera!"

I turned my head to see Atrayu there, atop her own horse. "Ganondorf is trying to follow you out of the temple! Come with me and I'll bring you to a safe place!"

We needed no urging. With a sharp command to Epona, Link launched us forward, just behind the Gerudo woman. She galloped through the aqueducts, taking a hard left through rough brush. Epona dodged thorny bushes and leapt over beds of thistles, and I held onto Link as well as I could with my torn hand.

Atrayu turned a sharp right, leading us into a small cave, though still large enough for us to enter astride our horses. A flash of light appeared before us, and she held up what looked like a magical flare, casting an eerie white-blue light on the walls. We careened around corners and leaped over small cracks.

We burst into a large interior chamber, the noise and light awakening a massive flock of Keese resting in the ceiling above us. We plowed right through it, the creatures more concerned with getting away than attacking us. I noticed a small underground river off to one side, so clear that I could see far, far down into its depths.

We made so many turns, I lost all sense of direction. I could feel Link tense up, uneasy with the strange surroundings and vague promises of safety. "Where are we going?" he demanded.

"A secret place," Atrayu called back. "Don't worry!"

We both did the opposite. I watched stalactites flash past, their knobby points reaching a good thirty feet from their origins above us. The horses' hooves made a raucous clatter in the echoing halls, until my ears felt they would bleed from the noise.

"Almost there!" Atrayu called encouragingly. "Just a little more!"

I could sense the air moving against us, coming into that place from outside. I placed my sword hand, thankfully uninjured, on the hilt of my weapon in case we met anything unexpected.

She tossed the flare aside and we burst into bright sunlight at full speed. We both shielded our eyes for the first few moments, trusting Epona.

The horse reared in fright, squealing and throwing us both from her back. I flew into the air and spread my hands, searching for the ground. I hit packed dirt, and felt the wrist of my sword hand snap under me. I instinctively wrapped myself around it as a lancing pain shot through it.

Abruptly my other hand – the cut one marked with the Triforce – convulsed and sent new waves of pain through my body. Still blinded by the sun, I shut my eyes once again as a massive wall of hurt slammed into my body from nowhere, rattling my brain in my head and throwing me flat on my back.

The sharp spikes turned to throbbing, and then the throbbing died down to a dull ache. I opened my eyes to see Link kneeling next to me, an expression of horror on his face. Instinctively I looked myself over, and at first could find nothing wrong; no severed limbs, no spurting blood. I brushed a lock of hair from my face.

Long, blonde hair. I stared at it in shock, then at the still-glowing Triforce mark on my hand. _How can this be? I wasn't hurt so badly that I couldn't hold the spell…something broke it? But what could be strong enough to…_

"I see you finally showed your true form…with a little encouragement." The voice I loathed froze me in place as I heard Link draw his sword, then felt pressure on my shoulder as he clasped his hand there, standing protectively in front of me.

I did not want to look up. Out of the corner of my eye I could see a circle of the desert women, standing close with a scimitar in both hands. One caught my eye and I turned to her. "…Atrayu…?"

"Did you honestly think," the loathsome voice said with a hint of amusement, "that a Gerudo woman would assist you, to commit treason against her own King?"

I raised myself to my feet. On my knees was no place to be at a time like this. I had decided a long time ago to take death over submission. Lifting my eyes to meet the gaze of the Mad King, I said, "Why not? It has happened before."

Ganondorf scowled briefly, then smiled. "Yes, even my own people are not perfect. In any case, it gave you a reason to trust my warriors, to remove the final barrier to my power, and then to follow them to your grave."

I stared at Atrayu, who looked back with an unblinking gaze.

We had been betrayed.


	14. Dual Curse

Link stepped in front of me, holding his shield ready and pointing his sword at Ganondorf. "We won't go down without a fight. I'll fight you until one of us is dead!"

Ganondorf laughed uproariously. "Fight? Me? When I have an entire army of my finest warriors surrounding you, ready to jump on you all at once?"

I glanced around in dismay at the forest of scimitars. There were far too many of them, and my hands were too injured to hold any weapon.

"Coward!" Link snapped, but this just provoked more laughing from Ganondorf.

"Do you really think," he said with a wide smile, "that I would be _stupid_ enough to face you _again_ on my own, much less send in my warriors one by one? There is a fine line between courage and stupidity, my friend. Now…if you give me what I want, maybe I'll let you both go, to live in exile…"

I attempted a small bit of pugnacity. "You wouldn't be making offers if you knew we are dead where we stand. Losing Hyrule to you may be inevitable, but I'm not going to _hand_ it to you."

I felt a sharp pain as a rock hit the back of my head. "Shut your mouth, pale flower," one of the women snarled at me. "Our King is going to use your golden treasure to remove the curse your people placed on us so many years ago!"

"Yes." Atrayu stepped forward. "Only the power of the Triforce can break the Blood Curse…or at least that's what you've told us."

The tone of her voice at the end of her statement unnerved Ganondorf ever so slightly. "Of course," he snapped. "It is the only artifact capable of lifting such a powerful curse."

She stepped closer. "Never, in all the years you spent in Hyrule and its castle, did you ever find anything that stated otherwise?"

"Never. Otherwise I would have used it immediately!"

Atrayu pulled an old, moldy, flaking scroll from her pocket. I recognized it as the one I gave the Gerudo Ambassador ages ago. "No? What about this?"

He snatched it from her, then crushed it with a quick clench of his hand, his grin splitting his face. "As I said before…I've never seen such a thing."

She stood perfectly still, save for one eyebrow raised up. "I would hope so, because if you are deliberately keeping information from us that could break the curse, it would tell us that you are actively suppressing the possibility of an heir. A person who does this never intends to relinquish his role as leader, to keep his own people in a cursed state to satisfy his greed for power."

He came in very close to her, staring into her eyes. "Prove it."

To everyone's surprise, she turned round and signaled to someone on the lower houses of the complex. An elderly woman held up a naked, wriggling, newborn baby _boy_.

The Gerudo exploded in cries of shock and confusion. "What is this?" Ganondorf demanded. "How did you do this?"

"I used the scroll given to our Assistant Ambassador by the Princess Zelda," Atrayu announced in a voice that carried over the chaos. "_She_ gave us the key to breaking our curse while _you_ deliberately kept it hidden, to ensure our cooperation in the mad hunt for the Triforce. Now that the curse is broken, in the ancient tradition, I call a vote for leader…the Mad King or the child!"

She faced the crowd. "All for the child?"

"AYE!" They shouted as one.

She turned back to Ganondorf with triumph in her eyes. "All for the Mad King…?"

He lunged at her with a roar. She leapt nimbly out of the way, and Link met his charge with his shield. Furious, he summoned crackling energy to his hands, and I instinctively threw a magical shield as far as I could.

An enormous shockwave ripped through the complex, throwing the Gerudo flat. But Link and I stood within my barrier. He gave me a smile of thanks, then launched himself forward.

The two clashed swords. I reached into my quiver with the cut hand and pulled out the remaining Lightning Arrows, stepping quickly behind Link and tossing them in with his. He snatched one from me and hit Ganondorf with it full in the chest.

Snarling, Ganondorf pulled the shock arrow out and summoned a ball of energy, keeping his eyes on Link. At the very last second he tossed it right over Link's head. It sailed right at me, and I only had time to lift my hands to my face before it hit me. A strangled cry of pain ripped from my throat as the sensation of a thousand needles piercing my skin shuddered through my body.

The next thing I knew I was lying on the ground, staring up at the sky. Link's agonized face appeared in front of me and shouted something I couldn't hear over the ringing in my ears. My eyes widened as a shadow appeared behind him. Luckily he caught my startled glance and whirled round to receive Ganondorf's charge with his shield.

I realized Ganondorf was trying to throw Link off balance by attacking me instead of him, and struggled to rise. At first I couldn't move at all, but as the ringing in my ears began to subside, I managed to turn myself over on my stomach. Using my lower arms instead of my damaged hands, I attempted to push myself upward. Gradually I pulled my knees under me and pushed upward.

A shout of pain and frustration, and then the sound of huge metal boots stomping toward me. I raised my arms above me and summoned a magic shield as Ganondorf hurled his sword downward. The shield cracked, but held. I put my head down and steadied my arms as he raised his sword for a second attempt.

A Lightning Arrow to the back sent him stumbling to the side, and I caught the flash of Link's sword as he attacked. Link swung skillfully, effortlessly, though I could tell he was getting tired. _We can't seal him away this time. We have to kill him for good, or this whole cycle will start again._

I ran forward and grasped Link's Triforce hand with my own. He turned his head toward me, startled, just as Ganondorf's hand shot out and grabbed my throat. "Now," the old warlord growled, "we finally end this!"

I spoke quickly. "Divine forces, use my body as a conduit and unite once more!"

An indescribable force shot through me like a bolt of lightning. I fell to the ground, paralyzed, the united sacred symbol above me. _Please, Link…_

Both bearers reached out and grasped it, who first I couldn't tell.

"I wish to conquer Hyrule!" Ganondorf bellowed.

"I wish for Zelda's curse to be lifted!" Link cried at the same time.

A massive explosion of pure magical energy reverberated through the complex, the three of us at the epicenter. I found myself and the others completely uninjured, our bodies healed by the Triforce. Before Link or I could react, Ganondorf screamed in rage and raised his sword point downward, aiming for my heart.

He fell backward as dozens of Gerudo arrows pierced him at once, never to rise again.

* * *

As Link and I saddled up to return home, I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Atrayu standing there, smiling at me. "I feel I owe you an explanation."

"Don't worry," I told her. "I've figured out by now that you had to follow his orders at least on the surface, even if you intended to remove him from his place as leader."

"Well, you know, there were some complications." She laughed. "Mita still hadn't given birth yet when Ganondorf seized Hyrule Castle. And we all knew that he would try to kill the heir anyway, if he knew the baby would stand in his way of our obedience. When he told us to lure you into the Gerudo fortress, the baby had finally arrived, so we figured we'd have your Hero take care of Ganondorf for us."

"Well, we couldn't have done it without you." Link and Atrayu clasped hands. "By the way, do you have a name for the baby yet?"

"We vote on it tonight. Believe it or not, a few have argued to name it after you." Link blushed. "We've also considered giving him Ganondorf's name, to erase the stain from it."

"We're both very thankful for your help," I told her. "If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask me. I hope that our peoples will have a more peaceful future."

An odd expression crossed Atrayu's face. "Aye, I think it will. We had a dual curse, do you know that?"

I blinked. "What do you mean?"

She folded her arms. "Ganondorf might have been corrupted by Hylian magic, but his original intent – as was the intent of previous Gerudo kings – was to lift the Blood Curse. Somehow, I don't think you could have broken yours without eliminating ours as well."

Link turned to me, and I nodded slowly as this information sank in. "Yes…yes, I think you are right. The people of Hyrule are more closely bonded than I ever imagined."

Snickering, Link said, "Yeah, if that's true, you're going to get an earful from the Zora and Gorons."

My head jerked up in alarm. "Oh no! We left the Gorons under siege…and blew up Nayru's Temple!"

"I'm sure the Triforce has restored them by now," Atrayu offered.

"Yes, but they're still going to be angry with me…that was careless…"

Link clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, I'll come with you in case they give you a hard time. We've got an awfully strong argument going for us, after all. It's not every day you break a couple of ancient curses and send off an insane warlord."

I laughed. "Yes, this is true."

We both mounted Epona and set off, the Gerudo guards waving goodbye as we passed through their country to our own.

**Author's Note: Well, that's the end. Sorry if I disappointed anybody, but 1) I wanted to leave it kind of open-ended in terms of where Link and Zelda would go from here, and 2) anything else I considered putting in felt like filler. Hope you enjoyed it.**


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